RugbyRebels

Wasps: 15 Lima Sopoaga, 14 Paolo Odogwu, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Jack Willis, 6 James Gaskell, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Tom West
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19 Ben Morris, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Will Porter, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Jimmy Gopperth

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Tom O’Flaherty, 14 Olly Woodburn, 13 Tom Hendrickson, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Ian Whitten, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Richard Capstick, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Don Armand, 4 Will Witty, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Jack Yeandle (c), 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Jack Innard, 17 James Kenny, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Tom Price, 20 Rus Tuima, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Josh Hodge

Wasps definitely strengthened by some returning players. Exe look a little light in the front 5. Nice to see Tuima in the 23. Intriguing game in prospect.

Exeter giving some players a break, but Wasps hit hard by some injuries. Dont see why Lima is picked at 15

Peej wrote:Exeter giving some players a break, but Wasps hit hard by some injuries. Dont see why Lima is picked at 15

He's ok under the high ball, can kick and is an experienced secondary playmaker to take the burden off of the young 10s Wasps are trying to develop. Makes sense to me, he won't be staying behind the end of the season but Atkinson and Umaga could be at the club for a decade.

My fear with Umaga and Atkinson is currently they're both looking good enough to be starting 10s in the prem. I think if we're to keep them both, we need to have one of them regularly playing in a different position.

Exe looking notably weaker with this side.

Umaga's kicking to touch from penalties has been truly spectacular.

Umaga is being given a lesson from Simmons at 10. The Exeter pack isn't on top but Simmons is so composed in the ball in the face of the Wasps blitz. He's playing like a 32 year old flyhalf not a 22 flyhalf.

One of Brookes or Tom Willis should have been in the bin from that Chiefs rolling maul. They swung round and tackled that at the back. Wasps defence, particularly from the forwards has been outstanding and the inclusion of Gaskell at 6 to disrupt the lineout whilst keeping Launchbury and Rowlands in at lock for physicality is a good tactical choice.

I suspect we'll see Francis on for Street soon as he's struggling at scrum time. Really like how Tempest has just given West and Street a bollicking and threat of yellow card.

Ha just as I post that Umaga makes a massive break. Very classy. Should have been a try but the winger gets white line fever.

FKAS wrote:Ha just as I post that Umaga makes a massive break. Very classy. Should have been a try but the winger gets white line fever.

He still shits the bed too often. For every few great moments there is a howler that wipes them out.

Ps. Bloody Exe obstructing all over the place

Simmonds is 2 years older than Umaga, and at their respective young ages, you'd expect the elder one to run the game better.

It's the area of Umaga's game that requires serious work, he doesn't control the game particularly well. Simmonds looks like he was born doing it. Simmonds needs to show he can do more ball in hand and he's bringing that under a lot of pressure today. Really good dual between the 10s. Wasps pack have probably edged it so far but Robson and Umaga haven't put them in good areas of the pitch often enough and Chiefs have been allowed to play a fair bit in the Wasps half quite easily.

Chiefs have got to make some changes up front at half time because neither the scrum or rolling maul are dominant at the minute and they need one of those two because in the loose Wasps are a real pest and great at spoiling. Great at spoiling and just staying on the right side of Tempest's whistle and boy do they toe the line very closely. Got to admire that. If Chiefs can bring on Francis and put pressure on West's early doors at the scrum there could be a ten minute man advantage to work with.

O'Flaherty steps in and doesn't take man and ball. Winger defending at 15, I bet Hogg wouldn't have jumped in and if he had he'd have targeted the ball. Great offload from Bassett.

Bassett has been so underrated for so many years. One of the most consistently effective prem wingers for the past 5+ years

padprop wrote:Bassett has been so underrated for so many years. One of the most consistently effective prem wingers for the past 5+ years

100%. He’s always excellent and so rarely makes a mistake. Just doesn’t quite have the X factor to interest Eddie. Big enough though.

I R Geech wrote:

padprop wrote:Bassett has been so underrated for so many years. One of the most consistently effective prem wingers for the past 5+ years

100%. He’s always excellent and so rarely makes a mistake. Just doesn’t quite have the X factor to interest Eddie. Big enough though.

Agreed. Great Premiership level winger.

FKAS wrote:

I R Geech wrote:

padprop wrote:Bassett has been so underrated for so many years. One of the most consistently effective prem wingers for the past 5+ years

100%. He’s always excellent and so rarely makes a mistake. Just doesn’t quite have the X factor to interest Eddie. Big enough though.

Agreed. Great Premiership level winger.

#GoldingtonRoadFinishingSchool

Wasps very good. On top most of the game showing real energy and consistent application. Exe just not at the races in all honesty.

fivepointer wrote:Wasps very good. On top most of the game showing real energy and consistent application. Exe just not at the races in all honesty.

Chiefs missing too much too end talent with no LCD, Williams, Gray, Hill, Kirsten add those five in and that pack isn't getting pushed around all game.

Having said that and as I said above. Wasps were clever in how they set up their pack. Gaskell is a menace at the lineout but with him going up and both Rowlands and Launchbury staying on the floor ready to compete Chiefs didn't get any easy ball there. Similarly at scrum time there was good weight in behind the Wasps front row. Blaze had then drilled really well.

Wasps are looking like a different team these days, even from a few months ago. Combination of Blackett's new broom and the exuberance of a group of youngsters at just the right age coming through.

Raggs wrote:My fear with Umaga and Atkinson is currently they're both looking good enough to be starting 10s in the prem. I think if we're to keep them both, we need to have one of them regularly playing in a different position.

As good as Umaga looks at times it's Atkinson that looks to have all the goods. That lad likes a tackle too.

Think Atkinson could well leapfrog Umaga before too long