Can Wasps fix their fatal flaw?
With the 2017/18 Aviva Premiership season hurtling ever closer, like a freight train painted a gaudy yellow and blue, Dan Johansson asks whether last season’s beaten finalists Wasps can overcome their defensive deficits to lift some long awaited silverware.
With the much maligned move to Coventry firmly established and proving fruitful, Wasps turned it up a notch last season by playing some absolutely gorgeous rugby.
RT if #GopperthFinish is your @Purityale #PureGold Moment of 16/17. Join us to find out the 17/18 #PureGold moment https://t.co/u0fvkrVdhn pic.twitter.com/hhTL36bO6S
— Wasps Rugby (@WaspsRugby) July 31, 2017
The likes of Jimmy Gopperth, Elliot Daly and Christian Wade raised their game to make Wasps the most formidable attacking outfit in the league. Unfortunately, this offensive flair seemed to come at a cost. Despite vastly outperforming everyone else when it came to points scoring, no other team in the top 7 conceded more tries. Wasps’ patchy defence and occasional ill-discipline would ultimately prove their undoing, falling to a determined Exeter Chiefs side after extra time in a hotly contested Premiership final.
Last season will have reminded the black and yellow side that attacking flair alone won’t be enough to herald a return to the glory days of the early 2000s. Despite tries coming from all over the field, Wasps’ defensive vulnerabilities meant few teams genuinely feared the sting, knowing opportunities for their own scores wouldn’t be far away.
Wasps will go into this season knowing that unless they tighten up their defence, better rounded teams will punish them. However, that’s easier said than done, unless of course they can somehow figure out how to clone Thomas Young, who seemed to tackle everything in sight and then some. For whatever reason, Wasps just couldn’t prevent holes being punched in their defensive line, regardless of the individual ability of each player.
Of course, regardless of a seemingly soft underbelly, Wasps topped the league, winning more games than anyone else in the process. They are a formidable outfit, and few would put money on them not being at the north end of the table come season’s end. Whilst other teams may hope that they’ve figured out how to neutralise Wasps’ attacking threats for this campaign, the sheer talent on display makes this a difficult job. Elliot Daly had a stellar Lions tour and will be full of confidence.
Christian Wade and the newly signed Marcus Watson have proven their match fitness and potency by tearing it up on the way to victory at the Singha 7s tournament this summer, and even if Jimmy Gopperth can’t replicate his outstanding form from last year the equally capable Danny Cipriani is waiting in the wings.
In terms of outgoings, the most notable loss is Kurtley Beale, at least name-wise. That said, despite making the Rugby Pass Team of the Year , you get the feeling Wasps are more than capable of losing such a high profile star without any major hit to performance, especially if Willie Le Roux can remember to, you know, actually keep hold of the ball when approaching the try line.
Despite all this, the ability to create chances means nothing if you can’t keep the opposition from scoring at will. Christian Wade was by far the top try scorer in the Premiership last season, but his inability to perform consistently on the back foot is why Eddie Jones was able to overlook him for England.
Wasps recruitment won’t have done much to assure supporters that the colander defence is a thing of the past either. Juan de Jongh will be joining from the Stormers as a replacement for Nick De Luca, and has earned plaudits in South Africa for his strong defence despite relatively diminutive size. However, few Stormers fans will be sad to see him go, with injuries and mixed form seeing de Jongh dropped from the full Springboks squad into the South Africa ‘A’ team. He may well find a new lease of life at the Ricoh, but Wasps fans won’t be counting their larvae before they hatch.
With painful memories of a lost final providing plenty of motivation, Wasps’ odds of going one step further this season look reasonable, but will largely depend on whether they can sort out their leaky rear-guard (no giggling please), and of course whether other sides can figure out how to prevent their superstars from strutting their stuff. It wouldn’t be overly surprising to see Wasps tinkering with a couple of different playing strategies this season as they try to develop a more well-rounded game.
Expect to see a renewed focus on the set piece and a few more kicks at goal in an attempt to keep the opposition honest. I’d also put money on the league’s top try scorer again coming from the Wasps side, though exactly who that’ll be is less obvious. What is clear though is that replicating last season’s first place finish is going to be exceptionally tough if Wasps can’t start demonstrating the same level of chemistry without the ball as they do with it.
Comments on RugbyPass
Some dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
1 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
7 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
7 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
7 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
7 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
7 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
7 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to comments