ZP Preview: Squeaky Clean Family Values

8 years on...
By Peter Snow's Swingometer
October 31 2003

London Wasps get the chance to take stock against the only team to have bested Bath this season: Newcastle. Wasps field an unchanged team following last weekend's landslide victory at Saracens. Newcastle try to prevent Wasps from making it four wins out of four knowing that they rarely win away.

As the Rugby World Cup pool stages come to a close, how many Wasps supporters would have predicted that our club would be placed fourth, on the up and up? Not many, I would wager, if our results during the last World Cup four years ago were anything to go by.

The measure of Warren Gatland's team is that our players can now look any old, ill-prepared, jaundiced hack from the Thunderer in the eye and say that we are now able to live with any team, any place, any time -- even without our talisman, LBND.

And if Wasps could pick any team to test the litmus paper, Newcastle Falcons would surely be it. Our pugnacious friends from the north may only have beaten one team (Leeds Tykes) on their travels since the end of 2001, but Rob Andrew's charges are always up for a pop at his old club.

History shows Wasps ahead 7-5 in league wins with one draw not to mention a cup final success in 1999. History also adds a modicum of spice to our encounters...

For it was Andrew's machinations behind the scenes in Sudbury in 1995 that got Newcastle, where they are today. Our former playmaker used John Hall's wallet to spirit away a few key Wasps players as professional was ushered in after the 1995 World Cup.

Wasps' spirit, however, remained unbowed as LBND's star began to rise. Another two full seasons later, and both clubs had bagged a championship trophy. Judas' departure was the making of both clubs circa 1996-1998. What a top bloke!

Conditions are likely to be damp, dank and dark, a fitting stage for a fraught contest. Newcastle travel without their kingpin, Mark Andrews who is still serving a 3-match ban. A glimpse at their team reveals quality in their backs and some strength in the pack. Wasps focus will be on their half-back pairing and their front three.

The old swingometer predicts another tight battle: Wasps by six.

London Wasps: 15 Tom Voyce; 14 Shane Roiser, 13 Fraser Waters, 12 Mark Denney, 11 John Rudd; 10 Mark Van Gisbergen, 9 Peter Richards; 1 Tim Payne, 2 Phil Greening, 3 Craig Dowd (Capt.), 4 Simon Shaw, 5 Richard Birkett, 6 Paul Volley, 7 Jonny O’ Connor, 8 Ian Clarke

Bench: 16 Rob Howley, 17 Ayoola Erinle, 18 James Haskell, 19 Martin Purdy, 20 Mark Lock, 21 Alistair McKenzie, 22 Trevor Leota

Newcastle: 15 David Walder; 14 Tom May, 13 Jamie Noon, 12 Mark Mayerhofler, 11 Michael Stephenson; 10 Phil Godman, 9 Hall Charlton; 1 Ian Peel, 2 Nick Makin, 3 Micky Ward, 4 Garath Archer, 5 Craig Hamilton, 6 Jon Dunbar, 7 Warren Britz, 8 Hugh Vyvyan (Capt.)

Bench: 16 Dave Wilson, 17 Matt Thompson, 18 Phil Dowson, 19 Epi Taione, 20 James Grindal, 21 Mark Wilkinson, 22 Ben Gollings