'It was a gut-wrenching moment' - Blackett issues worrying update on Joe Launchbury
Wasps director of rugby Lee Blackett described Joe Launchbury’s knee injury as “gut-wrenching moment” and admitted he fears it will keep the captain off the pitch for a lengthy period.
Launchbury took a blow to his left knee before half-time in Wasps’ 39-29 win over Bath at the Ricoh Arena and was seen on crutches at the end.
“I am gutted,” said Blackett in the Coventry Telegraph. “It just doesn’t look like a short-term injury. It was a gut-wrenching moment. You are sitting up there and you have just got to recompose everyone because of how much Joe means to everyone but it does not look good.
“I hope I am wrong. He is Wasps through and through. His leadership through the week, you have to see it to believe it. He has got this great aura about him and the ability to see any situation. There are not many people with the special leadership qualities he has.”
Launchbury’s injury aside, it was a morale-boosting result for Wasps, who won for only a third time in their last 12 fixtures, relying on two late tries to get over the line.
Bath’s strong second-half rally had seen the West Country side take the lead with only eight minutes remaining before their replacement prop Beno Obano was sent off for a head-high challenge and that ultimately proved decisive.
"I wouldn't expect him out there in a Wasps jersey in the short-term."
We're all sending our best to Joe Launchbury. pic.twitter.com/muyyvSFMor
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 25, 2021
Thomas Young scored two of Wasps’ tries, with Josh Bassett, Michael Le Bourgeois and Paolo Odogwu recording the others, while Jacob Umaga added two penalties and four conversions.
Miles Reid, Josh McNally, Obano and Ben Spencer scored Bath’s tries, with Orlando Bailey adding a penalty and three conversions.
Blackett said: “When they came back into in the second half, we became nervy and edgy as we lacked confidence but we showed a different mindset than recently to win it, especially when we went behind with 10 minutes to go.
“Last week we competed really well with Exeter for 50 minutes and I was really disappointed how we fell away after that.
“We played well in the first half but basic handling errors cost us as we should have been more than 10 points up at the interval.”
Young fly-half Umaga deservedly earned the man of the match award by having a hand in a number of his side’s tries and picking up a crucial 14 points with the boot.
Blackett said: “I thought Jacob was our best player at Exeter and he is starting to return to his best form.”
Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper was disappointed with his side’s performance.
He said: “We didn’t deliver today as we weren’t accurate, especially in the first half, and you can’t come away and expect to win on that basis.
Wasps’ miserable run of Gallagher Premiership results ended but they've paid a heavy price. https://t.co/jxa2qZM7Wq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 25, 2021
“We got ourselves back into the game with a strong period in the second half by upping the tempo and there was a time when I thought we could sneak it but then came Beno’s (Obano) red card, about which we can have no complaints.
“It is a missed chance to move up the Premiership table but as far as I’m aware a top-eight place will secure a Heineken Champions Cup spot for next season and we still have to play a number of sides above us so we can improve our position.”
Next up for Bath is a European Challenge Cup semi-final at home to Montpellier.
Hooper said: “We’ll keep fighting and that European game is a positive diversion for us after today’s defeat.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to comments