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Wasps issue update on Wales backrow Young after getting 'outmuscled' by Munster
Wasps head coach Lee Blackett felt his injury-hit side were physically outmuscled by Munster in a chastening 45-7 Heineken Champions Cup defeat at Thomond Park.
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The absence of Alfie Barbeary and brothers Jack and Tom Willis, amongst others, was keenly felt in Limerick as Wasps, who also lost flanker Thomas Young late in the first half, were knocked out of the Champions Cup.
Dan Robson scored their only try in the 27th minute, as Munster, with a brace from Simon Zebo and converted efforts from Conor Murray, Jack O’Donoghue, Jeremy Loughman and Rory Scannell, advanced as Pool B’s third-place finishers.
“Obviously disappointed,” admitted Blackett afterwards. “I thought it was probably a step back from where we’d been the last few weeks (in those wins over Leicester and Toulouse).
“I just thought physically we lost our battle. I know I spoke a little bit before the game about probably a couple of carriers down from last week, and knew we had to be physical.
“We had a game-plan, we tried to play a little bit wider this week, but you’ve got to at least win mainline to get that and I thought we lost that battle.
Thomas Young comes off to receive further treatment for a head/neck injury.
Hopefully a speedy recovery for the Wasps Flanker 🙏#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/E1q91BQePu
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) January 23, 2022
“Then we’re trying to force things off the back foot, as a result. At times our skill level probably let us down as well. It’s hard to play once you’re on the back foot it’s about getting that go forward ball.”
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Young suffered a head injury and had to be stretchered off, with Blackett confirming that the Wales international will stay in hospital overnight and have some more tests on Monday.
“He will stay in hospital overnight. He will have some more tests tomorrow. We will know a lot more tomorrow and the club will give a statement as soon as we know.”
Munster boss Johann Van Graan confirmed that Keith Earls, who picked up a high leg strain in training and missed the game, should be fit for the start of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.
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He also had high praise for young fly-half Ben Healy following an assured performance, which included 11 points with the boot and a deft assist for Zebo’s first try.
“We knew that Wasps were still in it (the Champions Cup) if they won the game, so we treated it as a knockout game,” said Van Graan.
“There was no specific message to Ben, just go out and enjoy it and steer the ship. I felt he had a really good game, the first one (assist) for Zeebs, that little chip for Zeebs. His decision making, pretty good defensively.”
The South African added: “We wanted to make sure we won the game and if the four tries were on offer, we wanted to take them.
“Obviously, Leicester got five points and ‘Quins won that game in the 83rd minute so the only thing that we could control was getting the five points, but real positives out of tonight’s game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Except 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 commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments