Club: Wasps
Last season: 5th
Odds for the title: 3/1
Season opener: home v Saracens, 15 September
Ins
Riki Flutey (London Irish), Michael Holford, James Buckland (both Leicester), Pat Barnard (Northampton), Nick Porter (Blackheath)
Outs
Ayoola Erinle (Leicester), Alex King (Clermont Auvergne), Johnny O’Connor (Connacht), James Brooks (Leeds), Alistair McKenzie (Calvisano), Ed Thrower (Saracens), Jonny Barrett (retired), Martin Purdy (Bath), Peter Bracken (Bristol), Jeremy Staunton, Warren Fury (both London Irish
The player preview
Unlucky to be left at home, England star James Haskell is now raring to go for Wasps
Not going to the World Cup, but looking forward to the season ahead?
I’m obviously disappointed that I’m not going to the World Cup, but I’m very excited about the new season. I want to cement my place in the team and generally we’ve got a lot to prove this season. We’ve been written off by some areas of the press and the pressure really isn’t on us so that allows us to play the game we want to play and redevelop a bit.
You won the Heineken Cup last term, but finished fifth in the league, how do you look back on the campaign?
The bottom is that Wasps is a club built on success, we’re used to winning trophies and it was disappointing to finish fifth. To win the Heineken Cup and finish on such a high was amazing, it was just a shame we were slack in terms of consistency. Our away form was terrible we can’t get away from that, but there was nothing fundamentally wrong and hopefully we can rectify that to get ourselves in a good position for when the England players come back.
Does your position take anything away from being European champions?
Not at all, I’ve been in eight finals and we’ve won eight finals – we’re very consistent when it comes to things like that, we peak at the right times. It’s not by accident either, it’s about having the right structures in terms of physio and conditioning. Mentally too, the guys know what it’s about to be in a final. The Heineken Cup is arguably the best club tournament in the world and I don’t think it’s any mean feat to beat a very good Leicester side gunning for a triple crown.
Everyone has made signings but you’ve not bought in any stars?
My experience at Wasps is that it’s always been about developing players through our academy and making clever signings. We’ve never been about big names – Matt Dawson, Rob Howley and Phil Vickery are the only major signings we’ve made. We’ve not been ones to go for the big, overseas players and that’s a good mentality because it allows players such as myself to get an opportunity to develop.
Who’s going to shine for you this year?
We’ve got a lock called George Skivington who’s done really for us and been unlucky not to get a few more starts due to the likes of Tom Palmer and Simon Shaw. We’ve also got Dan Cipriani at full back now, Dave Walder will get more chances this year and Riki Flutey is a great signing.
Targets?
I’m sure the coaches have their targets – I think Ian McGeechan was quoted as saying that if we were in the top four by the time the World Cup was over then that would be one of their greatest coaching achievements – but from our point of view it’s just about taking each game as it comes and focus on performance only and building a formidable side.
Supporters’ prediction: 4th. “Even with all the All Blacks and Springboks flying in, I’ve got confidence in the coaching staff. We’ve never gone for big signings and there’s genuine quality in the young guys we’ve got out there.” Peter Maddison, London
Rucked prediction: 4th. Dave Walder and Riki Flutey will give the World Cup Wasps a great foundation and having the likes of Haskell, Tom Voyce, Fraser Waters and Tom Palmer around should see them make a good start to the domestic season.
probably are – wrong about this!
