Wasps vs Wuss Fri 19.45

[Raggs]

15 Rob Miller (111)
14 Paolo Odogwu (6)
13 Michael Le Bourgeois (31)
12 Ryan Mills (1)
11 Marcus Watson (45)
10 Lima Sopoaga (40)
9 Ben Vellacott (1)
1 Simon McIntyre (166)
2 Tom Cruse (77)
3 Biyi Alo (11)
4 Tim Cardall (15)
5 James Gaskell (c) (113)
6 Ben Morris (27)
7 Gabriel Oghre (21)
8 Tom Willis (14)


16 Alfie Barbeary (1)
17 Tom West (25)
18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen (13)
19 Theo Vukasinovic (5)
20 Sione Vailanu (17)
21 Sam Wolstenholme (8)
22 Jacob Umaga (22)
23 Matteo Minozzi (10)



15 Chris Pennell, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Will Butler (C), 11 Nick David, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Callum Black, 2 Beck Cutting, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 James Scott, 5 Andrew Kitchener, 6 GJ van Velze, 7 Tom Dodd, 8 Cornell du Preez.

Replacements | 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Lewis Holsey, 18 Joe Morris, 19 Justin Clegg, 20 Caleb Montgomery, 21 Jono Kitto, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Oli Morris.


Holy rotations batman. Looks like both Wasps and Worcester have gone for massive team rotation approach (less sure about Wuss). Guess they're trying to basically use 2 separate starting XVs.

[Scrumhead]

Woah ... that is a complete change. Wasps seem to have retained about 5 or 6 from last week. Worcester literally 1 or 2 ...

Interesting to see Oghre picked at 7.

[Banquo]

Wonder if they conferred

Be good to see Barbeary.

[Raggs]

Oghre has the physical ability to play 7 I reckon, and likes to stick his head over, the new interpretations may help with that. However it does perhaps make it less likely to see Barbeary on the pitch unless the game is won or lost.

[fivepointer]

With a game to follow on Tuesday for Wasps and Wednesday for Worcester this makes sense.
It does allow for some game time for young players, which is a very good thing to my mind.
Makes predictions quite hard!

[Puja]

With a game to follow on Tuesday for Wasps and Wednesday for Worcester this makes sense.
It does allow for some game time for young players, which is a very good thing to my mind.
Makes predictions quite hard!

Predictions?! Try doing the fantasy teams!

Puja

[FKAS]

That's a lot of rotation. I'd expected the mid week games to see the most rotation as you can then keep your stronger XV playing weekends as normal.

There's still some real quality in these teams. Could still break out into a good game.

[Warrior85]

No one in that Warriors 15 started Saturday. Complete change for us and I fear we will get another spanking.

Be good to see how Will Butler goes.

Keep an eye out for our 2 wingers (if they get any ball) both very young and rapid!

[Raggs]

No one in that Warriors 15 started Saturday. Complete change for us and I fear we will get another spanking.

Be good to see how Will Butler goes.

Keep an eye out for our 2 wingers (if they get any ball) both very young and rapid!

Completely different starting XV for Wasps too. I'm a long way from discounting Warriors here.

[Banquo]

Oghre has the physical ability to play 7 I reckon, and likes to stick his head over, the new interpretations may help with that. However it does perhaps make it less likely to see Barbeary on the pitch unless the game is won or lost.

Not sure I’d want someone who is getting used to 7 then play 2 when fatigued but it’s a plan I suppose!

[Puja]

No one in that Warriors 15 started Saturday. Complete change for us and I fear we will get another spanking.

Be good to see how Will Butler goes.

Keep an eye out for our 2 wingers (if they get any ball) both very young and rapid!

Completely different starting XV for Wasps too. I'm a long way from discounting Warriors here.

It feels like the Wasps strength is better than the Wuss strength though. If you look at players like Miller, Le Bourgeois, Mills, Watson, Sopoaga, Vellacott, McIntyre, Cruse, Gaskell - all of those are 1st XV quality players. They might not be in the Wasps 1st XV right now, but if you put them in, no-one would bat an eyelash.

For Worcester, you have Pennell, Venter, Butler, Weir, Van Velze, and du Preez in that same category (with maybe the front row as well). Worcester are an exceptionally well-coached team mind, and their team on the pitch is usually several leagues better than the team on paper, but I'd still count that Wasps side as stronger.

Puja

[Raggs]

No one in that Warriors 15 started Saturday. Complete change for us and I fear we will get another spanking.

Be good to see how Will Butler goes.

Keep an eye out for our 2 wingers (if they get any ball) both very young and rapid!

Completely different starting XV for Wasps too. I'm a long way from discounting Warriors here.

It feels like the Wasps strength is better than the Wuss strength though. If you look at players like Miller, Le Bourgeois, Mills, Watson, Sopoaga, Vellacott, McIntyre, Cruse, Gaskell - all of those are 1st XV quality players. They might not be in the Wasps 1st XV right now, but if you put them in, no-one would bat an eyelash.

For Worcester, you have Pennell, Venter, Butler, Weir, Van Velze, and du Preez in that same category (with maybe the front row as well). Worcester are an exceptionally well-coached team mind, and their team on the pitch is usually several leagues better than the team on paper, but I'd still count that Wasps side as stronger.

Puja

No arguments there, I do think we're stronger, but always feel once you move away from a 1st XV the dice starts to roll.

[Peej]

Seems odd that Wasps play Sunday - Friday - Tuesday, whereas Wuss play Saturday - Friday - Wednesday

[Raggs]

Think you need to really look across the whole set of fixtures to look for dodgy scheduling.

[Peej]

yeah, it probably evens out down the track. Or at least I hope it does

[Beasties]

Whoooaa, I didn't realise how quick these games would come once they started up again. Great for viewing but draining on the players.

[Peej]

Wuss much more up for it so far. Wasps blowing a couple of chances, and the back row is having a negligible impact on slowing Worcester ball

[Raggs]

Missed most the first half. What was the first try called back for? I know blocking by the ref doesn't change anything, but CMK needs to find somewhere better to stand, directly led to the Wuss try.

We don't look too hot, but equally, I think the benches could still be the difference.

[Raggs]

I know I'm biased, but 1st half CMK seemed to miss 3 high tackles in a row, including one that drew blood. Now he's just pinged gaskell for riding up into a seatbelt tackle on a player who was charging and put their head down.

[Warrior85]

Wasps bench just so much stronger than Warriors tonight. I thought we were slightly the better side in the 1st half but blown away in the 2nd when we brought on the bench.