Howley signing brings hope to Wasps at new Wycombe home

Wasps are no longer strutting their black-shirted stuff on rugby's equivalent of a Subbuteo pitch, having left Loftus Road for the more intimate Adams Park, home of Wycombe Wanderers AFC but deep in the heart of Thames Valley union territory. However, their coach fears that the London economy – daft house prices, the astronomical cost of a night in the boozer and all the rest of it – will ensure the club continue to walk small for the forseeable future.

Warren Gatland, the former All Black hooker who guided Ireland to within touching distance of élite status before falling foul of the traditionalist wing of the Irish Rugby Football Union, believes Wasps, strengthened by the arrival of the Lions scrum-half Rob Howley, are a decent each-way bet for the Premiership title at 11-1. But he also knows they would be a far better bet had he been able to sign another three, maybe four, quality players.

"In the end, it couldn't be done," Gatland said yesterday. "Why? Because we're right up against the salary cap and there was no money with which to play. I have argued more than once that there should be some kind of London weighting built into the salary cap agreement, because an agent won't put a player anywhere near us for less than £30,000 basic. Other clubs might get the same bloke for less, but that is the minimum wage for someone living in and around London. My views have fallen on deaf ears, unfortunately. There again, I can understand our rivals not wanting to make life easier for us."

Not for the first time, Wasps have been the quietest act on the Premiership stage during the summer: one major signing in Howley and a couple of retirements is about the sum of it. "Some sides – Leicester, obviously, and two or three of the major sides in Ireland – have genuine strength in depth, good players from one to 30," Gatland continued. "We're probably strong from one to 23, and then we're into the youngsters. If we can steer clear of last year's situation, when injuries affecting Lawrence Dallaglio and Paul Volley left us short in the back row, I reckon we'll perform pretty well. But the situation is more fragile than I would like."

According to the great man Dallaglio, who looked as fit as the proverbial butcher's dog yesterday following surgery on a broken thumb, Wasps are well placed to build a new audience for themselves, despite the proximity of Reading-based London Irish. "This is a rugby community with a long tradition in the game," the celebrated back-rower said. "We wouldn't have taken the decision to move here had it not been in the best interests of the club – and I include supporters' interests in that."

It will be good, then, to play on a pitch designed for grown-ups, rather than under-eights? Dallaglio grimaced. "Actually, Loftus Road was not the smallest pitch in the Premiership. That, believe it or not, is Leicester's. But there was no in-goal area to speak of, which was a pain, and with the crowd so close to the touchlines, the wings were forever cutting inside rather than taking the outside. The facilities here at Adams Park are fantastic. Not that I want other sides to enjoy playing here, any more than they did at Loftus Road. I hope they hate the place."

Northampton, who open their Premiership bid at Sale on Friday night, have included the Spanish wing Oriol Ripol and the former Wales lock Steve Williams in their starting line-up. Mark Connors, their new recruit from Australia, is in contention for a seat on the bench.