Wasps vs Saracens: In this bizarre Premiership season, who’d prevent Dai Young’s side a play-off place?
Wasps have lost the fifth-most matches of any team this season yet know their Premiership semi-final fate lies in their own hands, and a shot at the title would banish the painful memories that 2018/19 has brought
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ten defeats in 19 games, 52 tries conceded and a points difference of minus 42 would not normally see you shaping up for a crack at the Premiership title. But we've long since established this isn't a normal season.
Somehow, through a combination of Saracens and Exeter’s dominance, unprecedented competition at the foot of the table, and a long-overdue recent upturn in form, Wasps find themselves in the rare position of being in control of their own destiny.
Win their three remaining games and a play-off place awaits. Who’d have believed that two months ago when relegation was more likely than redemption?
Nobody associated with the Coventry-based club would pretend this has been anything less than a bloody difficult season but with Saracens, Bath and Harlequins all to play, Dai Young’s men know successive wins would secure them the most unlikeliest of shots at the title.
Last weekend’s bonus-point win at top-of-the-table Exeter, who along with second-placed Saracens have been in cruise control for weeks, was a huge shot in the arm for a club which had never previously won at Sandy Park. Qualify for the play-offs and they’ll probably have to repeat the same trick.
But that can wait.
On Saturday Wasps host Saracens, whose own domestic form has wavered in recent times thanks to the Six Nations and Champions Cup knock-out stages distraction, but last weekend’s dominant semi-final win over Munster reminded those with short memories how good they really are.
England star Elliot Daly, who has not scored a try for Wasps since early October, goes head-to-head with his future employers on Saturday knowing another victory would set up fascinating climax to the season.
The decision to allow Danny Cipriani to leave last summer for Gloucester and Christian Wade’s shock mid-season departure to try his hand at NFL blunted Wasps’ attack but it’s the loss of Daly to Saracens next season which has truly stung.
His 12-year association with the club he joined as a 14-year-old and made his first-team debut for in 2010 was confirmation if any was needed that all is not well at the Ricoh Arena.
Delays over planning permission for a long-promised training ground, ongoing financial concerns, an inexperienced backroom staff and a confusing recruitment strategy were all well-documented contributory factors in Daly’s decision to leave.
But ultimately, Saracens’ densely populated trophy cabinet, north London location and a lumpy contract were probably the biggest considerations for the 26-year-old, not necessarily in that order.
“It is a little bit weird, but you kind of get your head around it,” Daly said this week when asked about playing against the team he’ll be playing for next season.
“At the moment I am Wasps through and through and trying to help the team as much as possible going into the next three of four weeks.”
Wasps will be without captain Joe Launchbury (Achilles) and fellow forward James Gaskell (calf) but have at least been boosted by the return of one of their pivotal playmakers in Jimmy Gopperth to the bench following a seven-month absence with a knee injury.
The 35-year-old New Zealander’s absence has been keenly felt in Coventry with scrum-half Dan Robson also out for protracted periods, Wasps first-choice scrum half and inside centre have not played together all season.
His return could not have come at a better time.
Wasps director of rugby Young, who this week revealed current Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards will not be rejoining the Premiership outfit next season, at the same time insisted he wanted Saracens – already guaranteed a play-off place – to show his team “respect” by playing a full-strength team.
“I hope they give us the respect, as in playing their best team,” Young said on Monday. “If we beat Sarries, I want to beat their best team, not with a number of changes.”
Sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for.
It sounded like the right thing to say at the time but in reality Young will have been grimacing on Friday morning when Mark McCall named a fully loaded team showing just two changes to the one which beat Munster so comprehensively at the same ground last weekend.
Nick Tompkins starts at inside centre in place of injured captain Brad Barritt while Calum Clark replaces Jackson Wray on the openside flank.
With Mako Vunipola starting alongside Jamie George, Maro Itoje and George Kruis, Saracens’ pack alone contains four British and Irish Lions.
Common sense points to a relatively comfortable away win but this Premiership season makes no sense at all.
Another win for Wasps on Saturday, their third in a row, and all bets really would be off.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments