Wasps vs Leicester

[Puja]

Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Marcus Watson, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Sione Vailanu, 7 Brad Shields (c), 6 Tom Willis, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Simon McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 19 Tim Cardall, 20 Alfie Barbeary, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Jimmy Gopperth, 23 Juan de Jongh


Leicester Tigers: 15 Zack Henry, 14 Freddie Steward, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Johnny McPhillips, 9 Jack Van Poortvliet, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 George Martin, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Harry Wells, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Julián Montoya, 1 Ellis Genge (c)
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Ollie Chessum, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Matías Moroni, 23 Kini Murimurivalu

[Puja]

Ford doesn't make it, which lowers our chances significantly. Weirdly, JVP starts after being ignored for 2 weeks - impossible to tell whether that was selection or injury given Borthwick's attitude to injury news. I'd prefer Muri or Moroni on the wing with Steward at 15, but presumably there is some sort of plan - hopefully it's not the one about "boot the leather off it and hope they blink first".

On paper, you'd say we're stronger in the pack (especially with Young missing for Wasps), but they've got us in the backline.

Puja

[FKAS]

We have gone massive. I suspect that neither Murimurivalu nor Nadolo are 100% fit and we are pretty much out of wingers due to injury or van Wyk. Hence Steward goes to the wing to form a pretty huge wing combination. Our wingers must be at least 34 stone combined, probably north of 35. With the height of those two Umaga's tendency to go for the crossfield kick suddenly looks a bit dicey for Wasps.

We look like we'll take it to then at the set piece though Henderson looked a bit iffy at the lineout last weekend and Gaskell is a good lineout stealer. Scrum you'd expect us to really give them a going over. Breakdown though is a concern without anything close to a fetcher in the Tigers pack or bench options. Ollie Chessum the reserve backrow is 6ft7 he's not getting down there for a steal. We've got to slow the breakdown though as Wasps with momentum means tries.

Looks like we attend to smash them up front and force them into trying to pass their way out. Bit risky Vs Wasps some of those Umaga brain farts would be most welcome.

[Raggs]

No West for us due to injury is a big blow to our scrummaging and game in general.

A suspect mind would suggest Tom Youngs isn't picked to try and lessen the incoming punishment. That only seems to have come due to the recording getting more publicity.

[Puja]

No West for us due to injury is a big blow to our scrummaging and game in general.

A suspect mind would suggest Tom Youngs isn't picked to try and lessen the incoming punishment. That only seems to have come due to the recording getting more publicity.

Leicester already announced this week that he was being stood down after his post-match commentary. Very pleased with them, although you're right that they've probably got half an eye on getting his ban started early.

Puja

[Beasties]

That hefty Leics pack is gonna swing it. Wasps will prob let you trundle over a couple of times in the first 10 mins then wake up too late to make any impression on that pack.

[morepork]

Fekitoa is going to be playing for Tonga from now on (or after this game any way). Will meet up for a sevens comp in a couple of weeks, but won't be in the 15s side to play the ABs next month. Interesting precedent and I wonder how many other Island boys will be tempted to get back to the roots in this new crazy world. Ngani Laumape is off to France soon, and he too could qualify for Tonga through family.

[FKAS]

That hefty Leics pack is gonna swing it. Wasps will prob let you trundle over a couple of times in the first 10 mins then wake up too late to make any impression on that pack.

To be fair the subs won't make it any less hefty when they come on, 20 stone of Lavanini is likely to replace 18 stone Henderson just to make things more physically uncomfortable.

Wasps need to follow the Bristol example from last week and start throwing the 50/50 offloads. Get in behind with pace and the Tigers defence is fragile. Play physically in front of it and Tigers will tackle all day.

[Peej]

Tigers will kick the leather off the ball and grind Wasps up front. Don't see anything other than a Tigers W.

[twitchy]

[Puja]

Leicester rubbish for first 8 minutes or so, but appear to have woken up and started playing. Just scored to make it 7-7 with a ridiculous catch from Cameron Henderson. Forwards are running hard onto the quick ball from JVP and we're looking good.

Only worry is Montoya's lineout throwing has been rubbish. Far too low every single time. Could get messy if he doesn't sort it out.

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

Jeez George Martin is becoming some player already!! His improvement this season has been near vertical!

[Puja]

Excellent try! Set play off a scrum and three Wasps defenders are convinced that Nadolo's getting it. To be fair, we've given it to him every other time! This time it goes behind and we just have to pick off the remaining defender to put Scott in.

Great to see we've come out to play today.

Puja

[Puja]

That is a great try from Wasps. Watson is at full-tilt and being tackled into touch and still manages to get a perfect grubber in - Umaga's on it in space and Henry stands no chance against his step.

Entertaining game, although I wish it was a bit more one-sided to our way!

Genge is embarrassing Brookes at the scrum. Penalty Leicester for 14-17.

Puja

[Puja]

Fucksake! We go 14-24 up after a lot of hard work, then we screw up the kick-off to give Wasps the ball, then offer a massive hole in our (theoretically set) defensive line for Vailanu to walk through and then Henry decides he'd rather not tackle the 20st behemoth on the charge and makes sure he buys the step to let him go in unopposed.

Puja

[Puja]

Weird finish to the half. Wasps attack really well from a scrum on their own line (some excellent cheating from Brookes getting his own back), make 60m and go right to left, only for Steward to rob the ball in the tackle and a ruck formed over him. Luke Pearce (understandably from his angle) hasn't seen the strip and calls a penalty for Steward lying on the wrong side of what he thought was a Wasps ruck. Steward complains and gets marched back 10m for an excellent Wasps attacking position, only for Umaga to go for a quick crossfield kick that is definitely on, but which he flubs and kicks about 15m too short. Leicester catch and kick out; narrow lead at the break of 21-24.

Puja

[Puja]

Pearce has had a terrible 2 minutes. Wasps knock on and Leicester bobble it back about 20 metres before eventually kicking under pressure, which is apparently advantage over. Then from Wasps attacking from the shanked pressure kick, Henry puts in a really good low tackle to a flying Watson who tumbles over the top of him - as physics would tell you happens when you hit a sprinting man low. Henry gets yellowed for a tip tackle.

Thankfully we appear to be riding out the yellow period.

Puja

[Puja]

Rode it out and got a final try. I will take the hell out of a 6th place league position and there's real signs of something good being built for the first time in years. Shame we couldn't finish off any of the Bristol, Bath, or Northampton games that we lost in the last 5, as any one of them would've put us 5th. Hells, win all three and we're in the playoffs! Definitely where we should be aiming for next season.

Digby, was it you that asked what difference I expected Borthwick to make and I said that I expected a good coach to get our squad to 6th/7th?

Puja

[FKAS]

Lack of an openside hindered us today. That and the inability to catch and hold onto the ball. Still a TBP away at the Ricoh is a good result. Man of the match for George Martin as well, good way to head into the England camp.

Borthwick has made a big difference. Get an attack coach and we should be able to kick on again. Happy with 6th after last season.

[Banquo]

Rode it out and got a final try. I will take the hell out of a 6th place league position and there's real signs of something good being built for the first time in years. Shame we couldn't finish off any of the Bristol, Bath, or Northampton games that we lost in the last 5, as any one of them would've put us 5th. Hells, win all three and we're in the playoffs! Definitely where we should be aiming for next season.

Digby, was it you that asked what difference I expected Borthwick to make and I said that I expected a good coach to get our squad to 6th/7th?

Puja

think it was me, and congrats on your prescience. The only way was up.

(original made no sense, not unusually!)

[Puja]

Rode it out and got a final try. I will take the hell out of a 6th place league position and there's real signs of something good being built for the first time in years. Shame we couldn't finish off any of the Bristol, Bath, or Northampton games that we lost in the last 5, as any one of them would've put us 5th. Hells, win all three and we're in the playoffs! Definitely where we should be aiming for next season.

Digby, was it you that asked what difference I expected Borthwick to make and I said that I expected a good coach to get our squad to 6th/7th?

Puja

think it was me, and congrats on your prescience. The only was up.

Mind, I think my original point was that our squad was good enough for a decent coach to get it to 6th and the squad's undergone intensive reconstruction under Borthwick, so it might not be valid. Hard to argue that someone like Wiese hasn't had an impact on our finishing position!

Puja

[FKAS]

Yeah Puja how many years have we been wanting Tigers to sign a powerful ball carrying 8 with a bit of speed? Must be at least 5 years, Weise has been immense.

Speaking of 8s today was by the far the best I've seen Vailanu play, I was more than a little disparaging when he signed for Wuss but if he can play like that consistently then having both him and Hill in the backrow will give Wuss some serious go forward.

[twitchy]

https://insider-voice.com/tom-youngs-le ... nion-news/

[loudnconfident]

https://insider-voice.com/tom-youngs-le ... nion-news/

Well, it amused me! The perils of auto-translate...

(EDIT. It's a US site so maybe auto-edit issue.)