The Wasps v Leicester games of the early/mid 2000s were
always pretty special. I remember when
they were in the same Heineken Cup group and they played out two high-scoring
epics, with senior players like Martin Corry and Lawrence Dallaglio commenting
on the ‘international intensity’ of the contests. Yes, Wasps v Leicester always carries an edge
– the two best sides of the professional era going head-to-head, there’s always
going to be a bit of ‘agro’. And now
some bright spark has had the idea of moving Wasps next door to the Tigers so
that they’re local rivals as well. Oh
good, that should calm things down.
There are a couple of other factors which may help to spice
things up, too – such as the fact that whoever wins this is in prime position
to secure that fourth playoff spot. And,
to be honest, these seem to be sides travelling in opposite directions – Wasps,
who fell from great heights to the edge of the abyss, have a new stadium, a
vibrant team and are well on the way to becoming one of the richest rugby clubs
in the world, apparently. Leicester may
have maintained their place at the top but you have the sense that this has
been a side that has been in slow decline over the last couple of seasons –
that edge, that ruthlessness, is becoming a rarer and rarer sight.
We may well see that edge return when they need it most, but
perhaps a year out of the top 4 will force the Tigers to seriously reflect on
what issues have been holding the club back from its usual high standards. And I’m sure that Wasps, as their friendly
neighbours, will be more than happy to help with that reflection.
Wasps Team News
Wasps are unchanged from the side which won 36-29 at home to
Exeter a fortnight ago, but England lock Joe Launchbury is on the bench and
likely to return after six months out (neck injury).
Starting Line up:
Masi; Wade, Daly, Leiua, Tagicakibau; Goode, Simpson; Mullan, Festuccia,
Cittadini, Gaskell, Myall, Johnson, Haskell (capt), Hughes.
Replacements:
Lindsay, McIntyre, Taylor, Launchbury, Thompson, Davies, Lozowski, Miller.Key Player
Ashley Johnson. The blockbusting Nathan Hughes and the resurgent James Haskell have rightly won plenty of plaudits this season, but any Wasps fan will talk your ear off in the praise of Wasps' big South African. Yes, he may look like a rather portly palm tree, but the flanker/number eight has proved his worth time and again - not just with his power, but with his footballing nous, his work over the ball and his ability to get about the field. In many ways, he is similar to Thomas Waldrom, who has been superlative for the Chiefs this year, in that he may not be overly fashionable but he is devastatingly effective. If Leicester make the mistake of putting too much attention on Hughes and Haskell, Johnson will punish them.
Tigers' skipper Ed Slater is included in the squad for the
first time in a year after recovering from a serious knee injury, whilst Marcus
Ayerza also moves from the treatment room to the bench. England forwards Dan Cole and Geoff Parling
are also back in the team. Cole was
rested for the 38-17 win over London Welsh, while Seremaia Bai starts alongside
Mathew Tait in midfield and Vereniki Goneva returns after suspension. Interestingly, lock Geoff Parling starts at 6
ahead of Jamie Gibson for the East Midlanders.
Starting Line up: Morris; Thompstone, Tait, Bai, Goneva; Burns,
Youngs (capt); Mulipola, Youngs, Cole, Thorn, Kitchener, Parling, Salvi, Crane.
Replacements:
Ghiraldini, Ayerza, Balmain, Slater, Gibson, Harrison, Bell, Loamanu.
Key Player
Niki Goneva. The Tigers seem to have given up trying to find some sort of a coherent game-plan this season, but that isn't necessarily the players' fault; not having an attack coach doesn't help. With that being the case, they seem to increasingly rely on moments of individual brilliance from the likes of Ben Youngs, Freddie Burns and the wizardry of this man. Goneva hasn't really hit the heights of last season, but then again he hasn't really found the space - but if he gets any room, he is still a man who can make things happen and turn defenders inside out. If Leicester want to pose a threat to Wasps in this game, they need to create space out wide and get it into Goneva's hands as soon as possible.
Joe Simpson v Ben Youngs.
It wasn’t so long ago that Joe Simpson was heralded as part of the ‘talented
trinity’ of England scrum halves who were destined to contest the England 9
shirt for the best part of the next decade, but for some reason young Simpson
fell away after being selected into the England World Cup squad. Injuries, inconsistency and questions over
his service and kicking game were usually banded about, but after much hard
work those questions are now answered and he is now bang in form and still
possesses frightening speed – witness his match-sealing try against Exeter a
fortnight ago. He’s up against the
current holder of the England shirt, Ben Youngs, who has himself had an
impressive season – Youngs is not quite as quick (albeit far from slow) but he
is more tactically astute and he has that knack to create and spot gaps from
nowhere and, like Simpson, is in decent knick right now. Both men have their snap back and both
catalysts for their team’s attacking game – it will be fascinating to see who
can have the bigger influence on the match.
Simpson will know that this could be his World Cup audition.
Prediction
We’re effectively back in that pre-playoff playoff position
right now – whoever loses here can forget their chances of making the semi-finals
in all likelihood. Traditionally when
the chips are down you see the best of the Tigers, but they’ve been so tame
throughout most of the season that I struggle to see them overcoming a Wasps
side that is on an upward trajectory and high on confidence. Leicester should aim for set piece dominance
and, if they obtain it, they may have a way into the game, but the Wasps eight
are not the pushovers they once were and, with the benefit of a coherent
gameplan (as opposed to Leicester), the hosts should emerge as winners this
afternoon. Wasps by 8.
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