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Exclusive - Wasps address explosive claims that 3 of their biggest names on verge of walking
Wasps have dismissed claims England stars Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly and Christian Wade are threatening to quit the Aviva Premiership outfit over a lack of financial investment.
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A report in the Daily Mail claims players and coaching staff are frustrated over inadequate training facilities and the backlog in image-rights payments, which are thought to account for about 15 percent of overall salaries. Wasps chiefs dispute claims about image rights and insist they are unaware of any outstanding payment issues.
RugbyPass understands Launchbury, Daly and Wade still have two years left on their Wasps contracts and sources close to the players have refuted suggestions they are set to quit or lead a rebellion. Launchbury, the club captain, turned down bigger contract offers from rival clubs to stay with Wasps who head into Sunday’s home game with Northampton in third place and chasing a home play-off semi-final.
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Wasps have yet to deliver a promised state-of-the-art training complex which was part of the package that convinced the players that a move in 2014 from their London base in Acton to Coventry and the Ricoh Arena stadium would transform the facilities they could work with.
The club is currently sharing training facilities at Broadstreet RFC having previously been given planning permission for a £7million base at the Alan Higgs Centre in Coventry before opting to shelve that plan. It is understood that Wasps have identified a site for a new training complex based at a junior rugby club in South Warwickshire, around 15 minutes outside Coventry but even if planning permission is granted shortly it will not be ready for over a year.
Director of rugby Dai Young said: “I have been made aware of an article published today which makes a number of assertions regarding our current situation. The construction of new training facilities is taking longer than originally hoped. We had a couple of projects which reached a pretty advanced stage but unfortunately did come not to fruition along the way, but no-one doubts this is the number one priority project for our development team.
“I know a further location is now under serious consideration and that this project could take a big step forward in the very near future. Since September ten of our senior squad have signed new contracts. This includes Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly and only this week Dan Robson. A number of other players have also signed new deals since we moved from Acton to Coventry at the start of last season.
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“Clearly we are all looking forward to being in a permanent home, and in the meantime, we are all fully focused on the remainder of the season and are pushing hard to reach the play-offs for a third consecutive year.”
Wasps are to announce their latest financial results shortly and there will be keen interest to see how they are going to service the payments due on the £35m bond issue launched in 2015 and which requires around £2m to be paid in interest every year.
The Ricoh Arena complex gives Wasps revenue from the on-site hotel, casino and exhibition facilities as well as sporting fixtures and concerts.
Comments on RugbyPass
Hey Finn, Well done to the Junior Wallabies…a win is a win but it was a wet and scrappy game. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on two things from watching the game at the Not So Sunny Coast Stadium. Firstly, what is your opinion on the rule change of being able to call The Mark from a kick off and what is the reason for the change? Secondly, your thoughts on the lack of action for the high tackle on the SA fullback. I understand the TMO ruled that he had fallen into the tackle and the tackler didn’t have time to adjust but it was clearly shoulder on head and the Aussie 11 had not made any attempt to adjust his tackle height leading into the tackle. In my opinion he was never going to get his tackle technique correct to complete a safe tackle. If that tackle was made at a more senior and more scrutinised level would we have seen the same result?
2 Go to commentsI don’t think this has been ventilated enough. Discuss. Perhaps the lessons in all of this is that, in the game of life, one should do all the talking on the field of play. And in the game of rugby, what’s said on the field - stays on the field. Take care of yourselves. And each other.
32 Go to commentsLow skills compared to the Junior ABs. The ball handling and ball retention of the SAns in particular was utterly woeful. The latter will be better on home turf.
2 Go to comments1. Heard this so often over the yrs. One Warriors CEO even claimed future kids wouldnt know which came first, the ABs or the Warriors. Always keen to talk themselves up. 2. That fella Barakat who says he will drop HBHS sponsorship because HBHS quite rightly wants its players to focus on rugby is an odd fit as a sponsor in the first place. As a recruitment official for the Warriors he seems to regard his sponsorship as a paid licence to help to select players from HBHS for the league side. Maybe he should find a league school to fund.
1 Go to commentsNZ U20s are the team to beat this year for sure. And how nice after so long that NZRFU is actually taking this seriously. For far too long they have been sending woefully coached and woefully underprepared teams to the U20 WCs. That Wrampling boy is a star in the making.
2 Go to commentsI agree ..come on keyboard warriors and journalists looking for a cheap win ….. only 2 mins to go 12 points down …this DID NOT decide the game and beside JM was hit after the whistle and in response it was a pat on the back of the head …harmless ….watch soccer if this is your issue
4 Go to commentsRest is for namby pamby sissies, I see. True men should overcome their trifling injuries by playing week in, week out. Bidwell’s stance reminds me of a Jon Gadsby character from the 70s, a rugby captain giving an after-match speech: “It was a very physical contest. One of our players caught a boot on the back of his head in a ruck, and he died, actually. But to his credit, he played on.”
1 Go to commentsI still see nothing in Sotutus play that hes changed his upright running style that failed so many times against decent international defences like the french. Other than that… Iose? Well you have covered his limitations well. If Sititi had been playing the the season… Jacobson? Grace?…Neither shout pick me. So Ardie it is.
1 Go to commentsThere isn’t one element you mentioned there that every top class or successful team gets up to. The great All blacks sides used to play on the ‘fringes or edge’ but it was essentially saying they were doing something illegal or borderline to gain dominance. The fine margins at the top are minute between the top sides. La Rochelle, the crusaders, Saracens, Toulon etc etc…..have all been accused. Get over it, the comment comes across as salty and naive. Northampton as well as they played to get back into the match were thoroughly beaten and controlled for 60 minutes and Leinster have only themselves to blame for kicking it away and hence losing control of the match and being nearly the architects of their own downfall.
2 Go to commentsThere is some talent coming thru thats for sure. The 10 looks special to me. Rico Simpson is a name to look for in the future.
2 Go to commentsI think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
32 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
32 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
32 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
32 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
32 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to comments