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Wasps seek help after becoming the most penalised team in the Premiership

Rob Miller of Wasps fights with Santiago Socino (David Rogers/Getty)

Wasps are seeking help from referees after becoming the most penalised team in the Gallagher Premiership as they prepare to face leaders Bristol on Friday night.

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Wasps have conceded 153 penalties this season and while on a positive note they lead the list in most turnovers won, recent matches have seen a spike in problems with referees with Saturday’s 20-19 loss to Gloucester featuring 15 penalties and a yellow card of Malakai Fekitoa.

As a result, Lee Blackett, the Wasps director of rugby, is planning to call in a referee to work with the players in training in a bid to improve their discipline while also asking Tony Spreadbury, the Rugby Football Union’s refereeing chief for feedback.

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Blackett, whose team have now lost four home games in a row for the first time since they moved to the Ricoh Arena in 2014, now finds himself in ninth place and ten points off the play-off places. Wasps were beaten by Exeter in last season’s play-off final at Twickenham but have little chance of being back in the title mix unless they clean up their disciplinary act.

Blackett said: “We have to fix up the discipline side – definitely. We are going to speak to referees this week because there is a perception out there about us. We want to work with referees to improve our discipline or else you are not going to win games. We lost discipline against Gloucester and, as a result, spent too long in the wrong half of the pitch.

“When I speak to the referees I want to know their perceptions. We have tried to sort out the penalties at the breakdown and only conceded one (against Gloucester) when it has been three or four and then we think we have sorted offside and then get three against Gloucester. I want to work with the referees because six weeks ago we were one of the most disciplined teams in the league and this is something that has happened in this spell of games.

“Too many people want to use referees as excuses and that is not what we are about. Tony Spreadbury is very good and we get a report every week and I am going to ring him and try to get a referee into training.

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“Bristol can be devastating and in your 22 the last thing we want to do is give them penalties. Our attack was a big positive and despite the discipline and line out we still put ourselves in a position to win it. “

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AM 44 minutes ago
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That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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