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Former All Black Malakai Fekitoa primed to make his Wasps debut

By Online Editors

09 Oct 2019

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

New Zealand World Cup-winner Malakai Fekitoa is set to make his Wasps debut on Saturday when they take on Worcester Warriors in round four of the Premiership Rugby Cup at Ricoh Arena.

Fekitoa, who played his last Test match for the All Blacks in the 2017 series draw with the Lions before his switch to Top 14 outfit Toulon, will link up with Juan de Jongh in the Wasps midfield, while skipper Dan Robson returns to the starting line-up at scrum-half alongside Billy Searle at stand-off, who makes his first start since February.

Both Wasps and Worcester are still in the hunt for a semi-final place in the competition but either side require a win in their Derby Day fixture and will have to hope other results go their way if they are to make the knockout stages.

Josh Bassett and Marcus Watson are restored to the side, starting on the wings, with Rob Miller at full-back. In the pack, Georgia international Zurabi Zhvania lines up next to Tom Cruse and Kieran Brookes in the front-row, with Tim Cardall partnering Charlie Matthews in the second-row.

England’s Brad Shields starts in the back-row alongside Jack Willis and Tonga international Sione Vailanu. Fekitoa’s fellow All Black Lima Sopoaga is also set for his first appearance of the season after recovering from injury to be named among the replacements.

(Continue reading below…)

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young said: “One of the priorities of this competition was to give everybody an opportunity and we’ve achieved that. Everybody that’s been available has played and it’s allowed us to look at different combinations.

“The first performance was poor against Saracens but the last two have been a lot better. Both games were close and could’ve gone either way and we’ve been very competitive in both.

“Some boys have put their hands up and hopefully now we can finish off with a win this weekend and that’ll take us where it takes us.”

WATCH: The latest episode in the RugbyPass Exceptional Stories series – Jackson: Climbing Mountains – features former Wasps player Ed Jackson’s incredible fightback to health following a swimming pool accident

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Comments on RugbyPass

Frans 26 minutes ago

Autumn Nations Series 2024: Everything you need to know about round four

i think Argentina v France could be a good game too, depending on which Argentina turns up. The most difficult to call is Scotland Australia.

2 Go to comments

Bull Shark 35 minutes ago

Autumn Nations Series 2024: Everything you need to know about round four

Australia definitely the game of the weekend. Wallabies by 3.

2 Go to comments

tt 46 minutes ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Smith is playing a different game with the rest of the backs struggling to understand. That's the problem with so called playmakers, if nobody gets what they're doing then it often just leads to a turnover. It gets worse when Borthwick changes one of them, which is why they don't score points at the end. Sometimes having a brilliant playmaker can be problematic if a team cannot be built around them. Once again Borthwick seems lacking in either coaching or selection. I can't help but think it's the latter coupled with pressure to select the big name players.

Lastly, his forward replacements are poor and exposed either lack of depth or selection pressure. Cole hemorrhages scrum penalties whenever he comes on, opponents take advantage of the England scrum and close out the game. Is that the best England can offer?

10 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

Which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ?

25 Go to comments

SF 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I'm a SA'can and like Ben I hate the springboks.

32 Go to comments

CC 1 hour ago

South Africa vs Wales | Live & Latest Rugby Union Scores & Results | RugbyPass

I reckoned the springbok coach, has now started to underestimate Wales, sending 8players home? Really? It’s not yet over until it’s over Coach

3 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

David Campese takes back his Joe Schmidt coaching Australia criticism

I am waiting for your list of candidates. We had several from which to choose so give me some choice (your list) in Aussie candidates for the ABs. You imply that any Australian would be preferrable to Schmidt, yet E Jones and Cheika obviously didn't meet your standards either. Are you angry that Schmidt is far exceeding Jones? All Oz coaches you have quoted are from way back in time. When you had some choice. What you won't admit, is you got nobody better than a kiwi currently. Otherwise you would be putting them up. The fact you don't shows you are a blowhard because you want to groan about Schmidt purely on the basis he is kiwi - not his impressive results.

25 Go to comments

LV 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Another poorly written article. Well done Ben, keep up the good work!

32 Go to comments

CC 1 hour ago

Cheslin Kolbe backed to end 16-year wait

Thanks Steve D

12 Go to comments

SteveD 1 hour ago

'Lightweight' Premiership not preparing England players for Test rugby

Too many pampered, precious Posh Boys who think the sun shines out of their backsides?

14 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales all have the same problem

Nothing would have been better. In the last 6 months of McKenzie's coaching, the Wallabies were really starting to hum. They were playing some brilliant rugby, even with no Pocock and came so close to winning the Bledisloe Cup. Only 3 points short I think.

Schmidt is a competent coach and after Jones destroying the Wallabies moral with picking useless Tah players (Bell is very good) any coach could have improved the Wallabies. We have achieved nothing so far really.

10 Go to comments

SteveD 1 hour ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

I'm afraid Gatland lost my respect with his uncalled for comments earlier in the year and his whinging about the so-called Boks' bad attitude in the Lions' 2021 tour. I also think he's not done my '6 nations' team much good this time round and they'll be well rid of him with his dated approach.

22 Go to comments

SteveD 1 hour ago

Cheslin Kolbe backed to end 16-year wait

(Erm, quietly, he's Irish)

12 Go to comments

Ardy 1 hour ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

He's coaching like Eddie V2 did in Australia...You need someone with bigger balls and an understanding of what to do to improve what is going on. It is a dynamic environment that is constantly changing as coaches dream up new ways to win. He is like an automaton of Eddie's creation.