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Legendary Dallaglio's pre-final message to Wasps: 'Continue to be bold and brave'
Wasps legend Lawrence Dallaglio believes a magnificent seventh Gallagher Premiership title for his former club against Exeter at Twickenham on Saturday would be one of their greatest ever achievements following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Preparations were interrupted by five positive tests for the virus, forcing eleven Wasps players to be ruled out of contention for the final against the newly crowned Heineken Champions Cup winners who managed to avoid any pandemic problems at the end of a fragmented season.
Wasps have also lost All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa to a serious groin injury, making Exeter even shorter-odds favourites to match Saracens’ double triumph last season.
However, Dallaglio insisted free-scoring Wasps still have enough firepower to upset Exeter despite losing props Kieran Brookes and Simon McIntyre, flanker Brad Shields plus exciting prospect Alfie Barbeary through the close contacts protocols.
Dallaglio told RugbyPass: “Victory in this final would be right up there with the last time we won the title in 2008 (beating Leicester 26-16 in Dallaglio’s final game) where we came back from the 2007 World Cup and were rock bottom of the table and then got into the final.
"The environment couldn’t be better set-up to avoid spread. Let’s hope it works out. Please God, we’ll get lucky"
– @IanCostello1 tells @heagneyl why virus outbreak is just another little challenge in the incredible @WaspsRugby @premrugby campaign ????https://t.co/wbPUbKQRiV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2020
“This has been anything but an ordinary season losing their director of rugby (Dai Young) after nine years and then dealing with all that has been thrown at them to take their rightful place in the final after a fantastic run of wins. It has been a phenomenal run under Lee Blackett and they are a delight to watch, very easy on the eye both sides of the ball.
“Not only do they score a hatful of tries they have the second-best defensive record since the restart. They have a number of key players who have come back from injuries, like Jack Willis, Joe Launchbury and Dan Robson, while the coaching team has been revamped and they have all delivered.
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“They have a lot of confidence and talk about playing with the shackles off. They have got to the final playing a certain way and I’m sure Lee Blackett will tell them to continue to be bold and brave. It has caused the opposition all kinds of problems and if they do that and lose then that is one thing but if they change the DNA that has got them there that would be a big mistake.”
Dallaglio pinpointed the arrival from Italy of Peter Atkinson as head of performance as crucial to allowing Wasps to play with an intensity in attack and defence that few have been able to match. The former England captain also paid tribute to Exeter’s Heineken Cup triumph, acknowledging that with Wasps missing players due the virus and injury, Rob Baxter’s men will be favourites.
“They are a side that are favourites in their fifth consecutive final and have just won the European title,” added Dallaglio. “However, Wasps have shown they can go toe-to-toe with anyone. Even without the players who would have been in the matchday squad, they are a strong outfit and just have to give it everything.”
"The Exeter changing room is a unique place, it was like no other changing room"
– @Toottankwaldrom takes @heagneyl ??? on a colourful trip down memory lane, explaining what makes @ExeterChiefs tick – and it's not just the rugby ? ??https://t.co/kVnf81qsIy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 24, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
1 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.
24 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.
24 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
24 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!
24 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
24 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 commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
24 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
91 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
24 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
24 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
24 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
91 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
2 Go to comments