'It's not dog-eat-dog': Wasps' verdict on the crisis at Worcester
Wasps boss Lee Blackett has claimed he won’t look to sign players from troubled Gallager Premiership rivals Worcester even though he confirmed that the recent freeze on recruitment at the Coventry Building Society Arena is over. Blackett’s bolstering of his squad for the upcoming 2022/23 top-flight season in England had stalled in recent months.
Having announced the singings of international props Vincent Koch and John Ryan and some other players during the course of last season, the trail went cold for a large part of the off-season amid the financial concerns Wasps have regarding its failure to repay a £35million bond debt.
Only in recent weeks did the recruitment freeze end, allowing Blackett to strike a fresh deal with Francois Hougaard, who had been left contractless, and to sign trialist Cam Dodson on a full-term contract from the MLR. However, the coach won’t be looking to bring in additions from Worcester even though players at the Sixways club will become available for breach of contract if their latest salary payment due on August 31 fails to happen.
There were reports on Tuesday of a leaked email from one of the Worcester co-owners outlining that their accounts had been frozen due to the HMRC winding-up petition and that the planned payroll was in grave danger of not happening.
Any players with wages still due after Wednesday can serve notice to Worcester to rectify the outstanding payment. If this has not happened within 14 days then the player can terminate the contract, which also takes 14 days, and leave as a free agent. Blackett, though, won’t exploit this situation for the benefit of Wasps ahead of a season that begins for his team with the September 11 trip to Gloucester.
“It’s not dog-eat-dog, there is respect in the game,” he said at his virtually-held Tuesday afternoon Wasps media briefing ahead of this Friday’s pre-season match at the Dragons in Newport. “We would never look to do that. If those guys don’t have a job and there is no club then that is a different story, but we have too much respect for Worcester as a club to be doing that.”
That said, Blackett was delighted that the Wasps recruitment freeze had ended and was adamant that the outlook at the club was positive despite a summer of negative stories, especially regarding their financial position.
“With social media the way it is nowadays with things coming out it’s hard not to (be distracted by the negativity), but the players and the staff have full trust in the people at this club, people who care passionately about the club and will make sure they do everything right for this club.
“There is a lot of trust from the staff and the players to get this right and I know the club will. In all honesty, no one would ever say they were never worried but everyone has got a lot of trust and faith in the people in place doing their jobs.
“Now we are in a position, if we feel there are additions to be had, that we can go and make them. We can add to the squad if the right person is in place but we have got to make sure they are going to add to us. It is always difficult at this time of year to go and get people and we won’t be going out and signing squad guys that won’t make a difference – we will back fully what we have got because we are confident in what we have got so far.”
In the meantime, the message from on high is that it is business as usual at Wasps. “If there is any news they [the board] will let us know. That is what we have been told, to carry on as normal. We are just like most clubs but we could be a fraction worse with covid because in terms of the stadium – the sport, leisure, hospitality, everything – we rely massively on it.
“That is where our revenue as a club comes from and everyone has taken a pinch but maybe it’s a fraction more (at Wasps). But in terms of what we have been told by the board, they are positive and making sure this club functions as it is and we are still competitive as well trying to make sure we are going to get a couple of more additions and that we are spending the salary cap.
“It was a little harder a few weeks, around that time a lot of people were starting to ask questions. But once we had communication from the board, everyone has got a lot of trust in people here that they are going to do the right thing for this club, so from our side there is a lot of trust and the players have just got on with their jobs. I’ve not had anyone in two weeks come to me and ask me questions on it [the club’s financial situation].”
Regarding the media and its constant supply of speculation about Wasps, especially the rumours that circulate on social media, how does Blackett deal with its negativity? “How I deal with things like the press personally is I don’t do social media, I don’t look for press articles. If something needs to be drawn to my attention then our media team will do that,” he said.
“Outside of that I try and stay away because I find it frustrating. It’s people that don’t know the club, don’t know people involved so personally for me, for my own headspace, I stay well away from that. Honestly, there is not much that has bothered me whatsoever.
“I know things that are going on because people have been telling me but I have not taken an interest. I have just focused on doing my job and making sure we are in the best possible place come the start of the season.”
But have you, for instance, heard the yarn about a reported merger of Wasps and Worcester? “Yeah, I have heard about it. They are the type of things. Tom [the Wasps PR person] told me about that. A funny one but it’s not something that I have heard,” he explained before voicing a new season message for concerned Wasps fans.
“We have got people in place, especially those I see every day, the players, the staff that care so much around this club. We are just looking forward to starting the season and hopefully with positive news putting smiles on people’s faces.”
Comments on RugbyPass
9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to comments