Wasps vs Saints

[Puja]

Wasps (First-team appearances)

15 Willie Le Roux (45)
14 Josh Bassett (91)
13 Michele Campagnaro (3)
12 Juan de Jongh (36)
11 Elliot Daly (186)
10 Lima Sopoaga (14)
9 Dan Robson (92)

1 Zurabi Zhvania (13)
2 Tom Cruse (49)
3 Jake Cooper-Woolley (121)
4 Joe Launchbury (c) (132)
5 Will Rowlands (63)
6 Brad Shields (7)
7 Thomas Young (100)
8 Nizaam Carr (23)

Replacements

16 Antonio Harris (13)
17 Ben Harris (34)
18 Will Stuart (22)
19 Kearnan Myall (129)
20 Nathan Hughes (116)
21 Craig Hampson (26)
22 Billy Searle (9)
23 Gaby Lovobalavu (21)


WASPS v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Round 12
Sunday 6 January, 2019
Ricoh Arena
Kick-off: 3pm

15 Ahsee Tuala
14 Tom Collins
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Luther Burrell
11 Taqele Naiyaravoro
10 Dan Biggar
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Francois Van Wyk
2 Reece Marshall
3 Ehren Painter
4 David Ribbans
5 Courtney Lawes
6 Tom Wood (capt)
7 Lewis Ludlam
8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements:

16 James Fish
17 Alex Waller
18 Ben Franks
19 Api Ratuniyarawa
20 Heinrich Brüssow
21 Alex Mitchell
22 James Grayson
23 Andrew Kellaway

[fivepointer]

Launchbury returns. Thats a major boost for Wasps and good news for England.

[Raggs]

It's a very solid Wasps side, now the question is, are they going to be able to keep it simple enough and not push it too hard, to avoid the silly knock ons etc.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Launchbury returns. Thats a major boost for Wasps and good news for England.

Straight in to start as well. Very good to see him back.

More experience for Dingwall and Grayson too, which is great. Ludlam continuing to start, though he does look less of the hype he came out of age grade rugby with. Looks prem standard, but so far that looks like his ceiling. Time will obviously tell as he gets more and more games and gets used to this level. Technique wise though he doesn't look like he'll trouble the Currys or Underhill.

[Mellsblue]

Launchbury returns. Thats a major boost for Wasps and good news for England.

Straight in to start as well. Very good to see him back.

More experience for Dingwall and Grayson too, which is great. Ludlam continuing to start, though he does look less of the hype he came out of age grade rugby with. Looks prem standard, but so far that looks like his ceiling. Time will obviously tell as he gets more and more games and gets used to this level. Technique wise though he doesn't look like he'll trouble the Currys or Underhill.

In his defence, he’s only just been given a run but he looks a level below his competition for an England shirt, but they are very good players. Regardless, it’s nice to see he’s being given a chance. Ironically by a foreign coach when an English coach wouldn’t. Dingwall looks the business.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Launchbury returns. Thats a major boost for Wasps and good news for England.

Straight in to start as well. Very good to see him back.

More experience for Dingwall and Grayson too, which is great. Ludlam continuing to start, though he does look less of the hype he came out of age grade rugby with. Looks prem standard, but so far that looks like his ceiling. Time will obviously tell as he gets more and more games and gets used to this level. Technique wise though he doesn't look like he'll trouble the Currys or Underhill.

In his defence, he’s only just been given a run but he looks a level below his competition for an England shirt, but they are very good players. Regardless, it’s nice to see he’s being given a chance. Ironically by a foreign coach when an English coach wouldn’t. Dingwall looks the business.

Totally agree that it is really his first run of games in first team rugby and he'll naturally improve through that. And yes great to see him getting game time.

And yes Dingwall has a lot going for him. If I were Scotland I'd be looking to see if he's interested.

[Scrumhead]

Agreed on both points.

Ludlam will get better but looks a level below Underhill, the Currys and Willis.

Dingwall looks a real prospect with a great all round skill set (his tackling/defensive reads for England U20 last year were excellent). Unfortunately, I can’t see him making a breakthrough with England in the short-term and that may pave the way for Scotland to take him. I can’t really argue with that given his heritage though.

[Adam_P]

I'd love to see how many tries have been scored down the wing Naiyaravoro is defending this season. He is truly dreadful in defence, never in the right place.

[twitchy]

Fun game.

[Tigersman]

If saints are wanting a centre they should make sure it's a 12 and have him inside Dingwall.

[Adam_P]

Classy from the Wasps crowd booing the kicker

[Scrumhead]

If saints are wanting a centre they should make sure it's a 12 and have him inside Dingwall.

Indeed - the rumour is JJ though

[Shiny]

I'd love to see how many tries have been scored down the wing Naiyaravoro is defending this season. He is truly dreadful in defence, never in the right place.

Naiyaravora and Tuala are both turnstiles in defence.

[Scrumhead]

Is the stat that Healy quoted re. Le Roux correct? 80% tackle completion for SA, 50% for Wasps.

I don’t imagine that’s accurate, but if it is, that’s damning.

Naiyaravoro isn’t a turnstile - he munches anyone running directly at him, but his positioning is awful and he isn’t able to adjust if the player he’s trying to tackle has decent feet.

[Adam_P]

If saints are wanting a centre they should make sure it's a 12 and have him inside Dingwall.

I think someone like Crotty could be worth signing. Getting on a bit, but can give Dingwall a lot of help in development and share game time with him for 2 seasons

[Adam_P]

Kellaway needs to be put on for Naiyaravoro. I knew Naiyaravoro was poor in defence when we signed him, but as long as he scores or creates more tries than he gives away then fine. Other than the last game against wasps, he has done very little in attack and a lot of awful stuff in defence.

[Renniks]

I'll concede to not paying 100% attention, but I didn't even know Shields was playing until just now! What has he done this game?!

[Adam_P]

Good refereeing there

[Scrumhead]

I'll concede to not paying 100% attention, but I didn't even know Shields was playing until just now! What has he done this game?!

Not noticing him is probably better than him being noticeably s*it.

[Tigersman]

Lol what the flick was that Saints?

[Adam_P]

Clear no try, Reinach grounded it

[Adam_P]

Though why we did any of the bollocks after the grounding I have no idea

[twitchy]

Why would the ref not check that?

[Mellsblue]

WTF are Northampton doing!!!!

[Tigersman]

Reinach fault that.
He was the one who played like he hadn't touched it down for some insane reason.