RugbyRebels

Sale Sharks: 15.Byron McGuigan; 14.Denny Solomona, 13.Sam James, 12.Mark Jennings, 11.Marland Yarde; 10.AJ MacGinty, 9.Will Cliff; 1.Ross Harrison, 2.Cameron Neild, 3.WillGriff John, 4.Bryn Evans, 5.James Phillips, 6.Tom Curry, 7.Ben Curry, 8.Jono Ross (capt.)

Replacements:16.Rob Webber, 17.Alexandru Tarus, 18.Joe Jones, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20.Josh Strauss, 21.Gus Warr, 22.Luke James, 23.Arron Reed


Wasps team to face Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium on Saturday September 22 (3:00pm kick off)

15 Willie Le Roux

14 Marcus Watson

13 Elliot Daly (c)

12 Michael Le Bourgeois

11 Josh Bassett

10 Lima Sopoaga

9 Dan Robson

1 Zurabi Zhvania

2 Tommy Taylor

3 Will Stuart

4 Will Rowlands

5 James Gaskell

6 Ashley Johnson

7 Nizaam Carr

8 Nathan Hughes

Replacements

16 Tom Cruse

17 Tom West

18 Kieran Brookes

19 Kearnan Myall

20 Ben Morris

21 Joe Simpson

22 Billy Searle

23 Rob Miller

Booj!!!

He had an ok start for me last week. Clearly adapting to the pace of the prem, and also didn't look match fit, but whilst he missed a few tackles a lot of players will get done by Tuilagi and Veianu. Distributed well, whilst offering a running threat, which is exactly what Wasps need. Happy to see him back in the shirt, and hopefully he becomes a more permanent fixture.

Agreed. I thought he grew into the game and became more influential as it wore on. A very encouraging start.

Mellsblue wrote:Agreed. I thought he grew into the game and became more influential as it wore on. A very encouraging start.

It struck me as him hanging out on the wing a bit, grabbing a breather maybe, but definitely didn't look out of place when he had the ball. Hopefully just a case of getting upto speed in terms of his lungs.

Raggs wrote:

Mellsblue wrote:Agreed. I thought he grew into the game and became more influential as it wore on. A very encouraging start.

It struck me as him hanging out on the wing a bit, grabbing a breather maybe, but definitely didn't look out of place when he had the ball. Hopefully just a case of getting upto speed in terms of his lungs.

Yeah, it’ll be a big step up pace wise. He needs to stay away from those wide areas. He’s not the fastest!

Was he just a late bloomer?

In some ways yes but he was earmarked quite young as a talent.He was in Jersey’s 1stXV at a young age and I believe he turned down a couple of Prem clubs to get first tram action at Bedford. He came as a 10/15 but I think Rayer realised they probably weren’t his best positions. He had a season moving round the backline, a full season at 13 and then two seasons at 12. I wouldn’t say he’s any better a player than he was 12 months ago but perhaps the combo of being Champ player of the year and possibly of a Prem club needing a IC on the wage he commanded meant this was when he moved. There is also the fact that until the last couple of seasons he liked to party as hard as he trained.

Is this Sopoaga's first game there since turning his back on black?

Third. Second start.

From what little I've seen, Booj's distribution ability would have appealed to Wasps. I don't know if he was meant to be first team material, or perhaps a senior voice in the A league and someone who could do a job when needed (like now).

This is going to be a fun game I can tell.

Nathan Hughes - what a great 30 minutes… Jeeeze! EJ, can you update your training squad?

Booj man of the match… Great to see

WLR was outstanding though

Hughes ended up adding some nice things (The pressure to get the turn over for the 4th try was great)

Booj!!

Booj just looks a very accomplished all round player. Nothing too fancy but seems to know how to keep an attack ticking over and defensively seems sound enough. Good acquisition i'd say.
Wasps helped by a strong scrummage and players who really can turn a game in an instant.
Sale have to be a lot better at converting good positions into points. They really should have got a better return than one try.

Renniks wrote:Booj man of the match… Great to see

WLR was outstanding though

Hughes ended up adding some nice things (The pressure to get the turn over for the 4th try was great)

Hughes saved two tries with his last ditch defence and then scored one for the BP. After his horrendous start that took character.

Daly did his best to not be considered at 13 for Eng. Quite a display of rushing out of the line whilst not laying a finger on his man. WLR purring.

Beasties wrote:Daly did his best to not be considered at 13 for Eng. Quite a display of rushing out of the line whilst not laying a finger on his man. WLR purring.

Yeah, not a defensive rock at 13…

And whilst positionally different, that'd worry me if he was thrown into 15 for England “next week” too

Beasties wrote:Daly did his best to not be considered at 13 for Eng. Quite a display of rushing out of the line whilst not laying a finger on his man. WLR purring.

He’s been watching Owen and taking notes.

Top drawer from WLR to volunteer to fly back when Faf apparently couldn’t be arsed.

I R Geech wrote:

Beasties wrote:Daly did his best to not be considered at 13 for Eng. Quite a display of rushing out of the line whilst not laying a finger on his man. WLR purring.

He’s been watching Owen and taking notes.

Top drawer from WLR to volunteer to fly back when Faf apparently couldn’t be arsed.

Could be wrong but I believe Faf won’t play for SA during AI’s but Le Roux will.

Renniks wrote:Nathan Hughes - what a great 30 minutes… Jeeeze! EJ, can you update your training squad?

twitchy wrote:

Renniks wrote:Nathan Hughes - what a great 30 minutes… Jeeeze! EJ, can you update your training squad?

While that was a nice finish, I'll give him no marks for powering though Will Cliff and McGinty (and only just making the line), especially since he made bog all metres against anyone else and twice got stopped absolutely dead by TCurry.

Puja

Puja wrote:

twitchy wrote:

Renniks wrote:Nathan Hughes - what a great 30 minutes… Jeeeze! EJ, can you update your training squad?

While that was a nice finish, I'll give him no marks for powering though Will Cliff and McGinty (and only just making the line), especially since he made bog all metres against anyone else and twice got stopped absolutely dead by TCurry.

Puja

Hmm...well lots of 8’s pick up from the base 5 metres out and get a run at 9 & 10, but only the likes of Billy and Hughes regularly score in those situations.

That’s a great result for Wasps. Getting 5 points at Sale is never easy. Wasps scrum has been supercharged with the addition of Brooke’s/Zhavania and promotion of Will Stuart. Seriously powerful weapon for 80 minutes now. WLR is all class. Le Bourgois was a good pick up, looks very competent already. Daly, imo, is much better in the back 3.

Puja wrote:

twitchy wrote:

Renniks wrote:Nathan Hughes - what a great 30 minutes… Jeeeze! EJ, can you update your training squad?

While that was a nice finish, I'll give him no marks for powering though Will Cliff and McGinty (and only just making the line), especially since he made bog all metres against anyone else and twice got stopped absolutely dead by TCurry.

Puja

I feel hughes gets short shrift on here. He has been in great form all season (I have watched all of wasps games in full, he was a complete menace against exe) and made some silly(costly) errors early in this game but then came back strong.

Being tackled by curry shouldn't be something to be ashamed of?