Wasps Preview

It was a close run affair last Saturday which without doubt could have gone either way leaving the losing side without any complaints. In previous seasons we may well have lost this game but hopefully that scenario will remain in the past. So where do we go from here? Well Wasps is the first port of call and they too are looking to create their own fortress in Coventry and there are many similarities between the clubs both on and off the field. Both are profitable for a start and have two of the best coaches in the league and if the pundits are to be believed they could be facing each other on the international field in four years time. 

Wasps v Chiefs

Preview and Prediction

It was a close run affair last Saturday which without doubt could have gone either way leaving the losing side without any complaints. In previous seasons we may well have lost this game but hopefully that scenario will remain in the past. 

So where do we go from here? Well Wasps is the first port of call and they too are looking to create their own fortress in Coventry and there are many similarities between the clubs both on and off the field. Both are profitable for a start and have two of the best coaches in the league and if the pundits are to be believed they could be facing each other on the international field in four years time. 

However, it’s on the pitch that we are most interested in and it will be Chiefs biggest challenge of the season when they arrive at the Ricoh with some mouth watering face offs between the two. 

I can’t wait to see who comes off best between Ewers and Hughes. I know they are a six and an eight but without doubt they will come face to face and when, not if they do, collide expect to feel it in the stands because it will hurt. 
Depending on selection the rest of the back row challenge looks a bit tasty with George Smith enjoying a new lease of life and Haskell doing what he always does but if as I suspect Armand and Salvi are selected to start there will be some clashes to enjoy as the two back rows fight for possession. 
Wasps also have something to enjoy in the second row with Launchbury and Davies or Gaskell and they will be matched all the way especially by Welch who is playing as well as he has ever done. In the front row I just hope Jack Yeandle has recovered because we will need him and I also look forward to Francis returning although Low has found a second wind and could rightly be looking to regain a place in the Scotland squad. 

And that’s just some of the battles up front. 

Joe Simpson is probably the best scrum half in the league at present but Chudley is probably the most improved. They both have pace and you can expect the unexpected from both. Simpson wants a place in the England side but could be tested to the full because Will also has his sights on honours. 

Steeno has been playing possibly the best rugby of his career this season so much so that I even saw him making tackles last Saturday. It may well be that Wasps fetch Jimmy Gopperth straight back in but even if they don’t there is still a lot to fear from Jackson because he has played brilliantly during Gopperth’s absence. 

It will be great to see Henry Slade and Elliot Daly face each other and to be honest it will be great to see them play together in the centres for England because together they could tear teams apart. There will also be some tasty wingers on display which of course will include Wade not to mention Nowell and Short. We know all about our wingers but I just can’t make my mind up about Wade because he can win a match for you and just as easily lose it, let’s hope it’s the latter on Saturday. 

So what result can we look forward to come Saturday evening? Well I can sit on the fence and say it should be close with just a few points either way but that’s a coward’s way out. I believe RB will have stepped up defence after last week when we missed too many tackles and when we did make them they were always on the wrong side of the gain line. Make the tackles and we’ll win, not by much but we will win. If I am right and occasionally I am, then we will go on to get a top four place at the season’s end. We infrequently play two poor defensive games on the trot, so there you have it, a win for Chiefs.