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Aviva Premiership Season Preview: Wasps

Christian Wade

Lee Calvert previews the biggest teams ahead of the Aviva Premiership season. This week: Wasps.

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Wasps, formerly London Wasps before their much-publicised and sometimes maligned move to Coventry in 2014, were the surprise package of the Aviva Premiership last year. They played with head-turning snazz and pizazz all season before falling just short against Exeter Chiefs in the semifinal.

They also put in an outstandingly flamboyant showing in Europe, where they thumped both Toulon and Leinster at home, edged Exeter in an absolutely cracking quarterfinal, then inevitably lost to the great hope destroyer that is Saracens in the semis.

All in all, Wasps were responsible for a great deal of what was good about northern hemisphere club rugby in 2015-16. Can they be as good – or even better – this season?

They will have to do so without standout outside back Charles Piutau, who has been allowed to move on to Ulster in a move as mind-boggling as many of his runs and offloads were last year. But while head coach Dai Young may look like the most miserable man on the planet after Steve Hansen, he clearly has some charm as his particular brand of glum flirting has pulled some absolute crackers into the Wasps dressing room – most notably behind the scrum.

 
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Danny Cipriani will bring his particular brand of active play to 10 this season in the hope that Eddie Jones finally takes notice. Kyle Eastmond, another nippy and dexterous talent, heads over from Bath. Kurtley Beale arrives injured but with much expectation, while Willie Le Roux adds his fading superstar status to fullback. These are strong additions an already electric backline which, even without the injured Beale, could line up on opening day like this: Joe Simpson, Danny Cipriani; Kyle Eastmond, Elliott Daly; Frank Halai, Christian Wade, Willie Le Roux. Not bad at all.

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The pack has taken some hits, however. The ageless George Smith has taken an opportunity (to earn loads of money) in Japan, Wales lock Bradley Davies has taken his grunt back home and two Italian front row players have also departed.  England’s James Haskell, Joe Launchbury and Nathan Hughes aside, the pack looks heavy on promise but perhaps a little light in experience for the season to come.

The biggest test for Wasps this season may well be managing expectation. The club were able to go out and do their thing last year with the abandon that comes with not many expecting a great deal of them. That ‘let’s give it a go, no one really expects to beat Toulon!’ attitude will not be available to them this year.  Moreover, their opponents won’t be fooled twice. The question is: are this group of players and Dai Young savvy enough to deal with the difficult second season?

Last Season: 3rd, lost in playoffs semifinal

Prediction: Same again

Head Coach: Dai Young

Ins: Marty Moore (from Leinster), Tommy Taylor (from Sale Sharks), Danny Cipriani (from Sale Sharks), Tom Cruse (from London Irish), Guy Armitage (from London Welsh), Craig Hampson (from Bristol), Tom Woolstencroft (from Bath), Marcus Garratt (from Cornish Pirates), Kurtley Beale (from NSW Waratahs), Matt Symons (from London Irish), Nick de Luca (from Biarritz), Kyle Eastmond (from Bath), Willie le Roux (from Sharks).

Outs: Charles Piutau (to Ulster), Alex Lozowski (to Saracens), George Smith (to Suntory Sungoliath/Queensland Reds), Jamie Stevenson (to London Scottish), Ed Shervington (retired), Ruaridh Jackson (to Harlequins), Bradley Davies (to Ospreys), James Downey (retired), Ben Jacobs (retired), Carlo Festuccia (to Zebre), Andrea Masi (retired), Lorenzo Cittadini (to Bayonne).

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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