'There's nothing worse than seeing that Stuart Hogg try. How he kicks it and gets on the end of it, it's a disgrace'
Frustrated Wasps boss Lee Blackett has read the riot act to his underperforming squad in the wake of last Saturday’s second-half capitulation at Exeter, the visitors conceding three tries in the closing eleven minutes and seeing a 13-10 interval lead turn into a despairing 13-43 defeat.
Blackett’s side defeated an understrength Exeter 34-5 at the Ricoh on the first Saturday in January but any suggestion that result was somehow a measure of revenge for their loss in last October’s 2019/20 title decider at Twickenham was blown away in an embarrassing second half at Sandy Park.
The defeat marked Wasps’ eighth loss in their last ten Premiership outings and it has left them adrift in ninth place with six matches remaining, ten points shy of sixth place for the last of the Heineken Champions Cup qualification spots and a whopping 19 points behind Harlequins in the fourth and final league title playoff spot.
Whereas many of the recent Wasps losses were unfortunate, their barren spell even including two one-point defeats, what unfolded in Devon snapped the patience of the normally composed Blackett and nothing seemingly has been left unsaid in the hope of provoking a positive reaction when they host Bath this Sunday in Coventry.
What bugged the coach the most was how his charges faded in the type of high-ball-in-play contest they feel they usually thrive in, the Wasps bench unable to up the effort when it mattered most, and it resulted in some home truths being delivered on Tuesday when the squad reassembled to review the seven-try, 30-point hammering.
STUART HOGG. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE TWEET.#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/dRXEDjrASc
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) April 17, 2021
“First half we were nowhere near our best but we were scrapping, we were fighting and we fully deserved to go in ahead,” said Blackett at this weekly Wasps media briefing. “We started the game average but got into it well and created opportunities. But we needed to go in further ahead than three points and then in the second half, there was very little that went right… we were fighting but the last eleven minutes I will remember for a very long time. We just don’t want to see that from a Wasps team.
“If you look at the game, and we have got a lot of data in terms of the running volume, we had 38 minutes ball-in-play and a season-high in terms of our explosive running. There was a lot of running involved, it was a fatiguing game but that is where we want to take teams and that was our aim.
“That was the most disappointing thing because part of our identity is taking teams to a dirty place and then backing ourselves when we get in that dirty place to be stronger. It got tough at the weekend, especially towards the back end. We faded.
“No one at this club wants to be associated with a team that rolls like that and the last three tries were unacceptable. It was as dark a meeting as you are going to get after the game in terms of our meetings – we did our review Tuesday and we had to show what it looked like and we had to be really honest. We are not going to be a club that accepts what went on in that last ten minutes. I never want to see that again.”
Being more specific about what left Wasps down, Blackett focused on his bench and their flaky assistance in the April sunshine. “One thing when we are at our best is when our bench is delivering, our bench coming on and putting a performance on.
“At the weekend when you are struggling and involved in a game like that, work-load wise and the amount of running we did in contact it was a season-high by a distance and that is where you need your impact guys coming off the bench and being fresh. We don’t look to blame a certain amount of people but I do feel overall our bench could have helped us.
“The game as soon as it was slightly gone and how hard the guys worked, we faded and there is nothing worse than seeing that Stuart Hogg try. How he kicks it and gets on the end of it, it’s a disgrace. Fair play to Sturt Hogg, who is a quality player. He is quick but we needed to be better than that and I’m not going to hide, I’m not going to stand behind it – it wasn’t acceptable and we are all aware of that.
“When we are at our best we want high-ball-in-play, there is no doubt. Anyone can see when we are at our best, it’s unstructured, it’s broken, it’s how we want the game and that was the thing that disappointed the most, that when it got to that stage towards the back-end we allowed the mistakes that happened to get on top of us and we ended up folding.
With the ex-All Blacks player heading to France, the Premiership club have spoken about what they will do about the vacancy it has created https://t.co/egWWHbEQVu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 21, 2021
“We are not going to stand here as a group and say that is anywhere close to being acceptable. It’s not and that is the thing we are taking from it, we need to be stronger. Even if things aren’t going our way and we have got the high-ball-in-play, we need to react and not let it be a negative impact like it had at the weekend.”
Switching to the post-mortem that unfolded on Tuesday, Blackett continued: “As we do every week we speak to the leaders in the morning and I thought those leaders came in with similar messages. Everyone was a little embarrassed with how the game ended and they all had very similar opinions.
“The review and the clips we put up, there was no arguing. You couldn’t argue with anything that was being shown and there was data backing up that video footage. It was a hard one to take but sometimes you can see the silence when you are asking questions and the silence spoke volumes.
“Everyone knows what is expected of them and that isn’t the standard we set. We expect a reaction. We have trained well so far in the week but there is no point in training well and not delivering at the weekend. It’s all about what we deliver this weekend.”
A shocking discovery was made when a doctor checked out the Italian https://t.co/QtUOcfqJuR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 21, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
2 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
10 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
2 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
2 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
10 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
10 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
10 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to commentsThis sounds a lot like the old Welsh rugby proverb “Wales never lose. Other teams just score more points.”
5 Go to commentsFinally,at last, Borthwick has done what the whole of England have been crying out for. Ditch the kick chase and let the players have freedom to attack and run with the ball. It was great to see. Ford played really well and for the first time in ages was 5 yards closer to the gainline which then allowed a more attacking position . Pity it has taken 90 odd caps to do so. However, this has to continue and not be a false dawn . One issue. Marcus. With Ford having one really good game in 5 ,is he the answer long term . Smith puts bums on seats and is terrific to watch . How can you leave him out before he departs for France in disillusion . England are in danger of Simmons , Alex Goode , Cipriani , Mercer and now Smith being unable to get a selection ahead of “favourites” of the management regardless of form . Great to see England play so well .
2 Go to commentsCockerill was an abrasive player in the mould of a Georgian front rower who will have the respect of that pack. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this exciting team, hopefully they can send a message to unions like Wales that money alone doesn't buy you wins.
2 Go to commentsI like the look of those July matches. Hopefully they'll get some good tests in November too.
2 Go to commentsThis is a poor article, essentially just trolling six nations teams
22 Go to comments