'We will be going flat out in every single game from now on'
Wasps are setting their sights high after a 41-12 victory against Worcester Warriors that kept their semi-final hopes alive.
Head coach Lee Blackett is targeting Premiership and Challenge Cup glory as the season reaches its business end, and Wasps helped their cause with a comfortable win against Warriors.
Gabriel Oghre crossed twice in the second half, with Tom West, Josh Bassett, Elliott Stooke and Tom Willis helping them make it six tries on the day.
And with Wasps now just six points behind fourth-placed Northampton, Blackett is daring to dream.
He said: “We’ve got two competitions and we will be going flat out in every single game from now on. There is no priority. You want to be winning both.
“That’s a big statement, I think everyone is going to say that, I think for us, it’s about focusing on every game as it comes and we will see where that takes us.
“Overall I am pleased, we won with five points. It was good to see the way the game went at the end as we came away with two tries.
“I said a couple of weeks ago, it will always take time to gel. Sometimes we’re not very patient, you expect it to click straight away as soon as you get some guys back and some key guys back.
“I thought out there today, there were some really good performances. I thought we gelled a little bit better as well. I still think there’s loads more in us.”
Worcester had their moments, with Harri Doel and Ted Hill crossing in the second half, but they were far less clinical than their hosts, much to the disappointment of Steve Diamond.
The Warriors boss believes his team are not too far away, despite the one-sided scoreline.
He said: “It’s difficult coming to places like this when it doesn’t go your way and there is a lack of confidence.
“There were certainly no teacups booted over at half-time. It was reasonably calm and for the first 50-60 minutes we were in it. But then it was just try, try, try and the calamity at the end just summed it up.
“The most disappointing thing was our inability to convert. But at half-time we were not too far away from it.
“We scored first after the interval to make it 15-7 and then we fell apart in a couple of areas – certainly turnovers and not responding to their quick taps.
“It looks like a cricket score but we were in the fight for long periods.
“The chins had gone down a little by half-time and we tried to rally them.
“We had done well in keeping the ball but we had just not converted it into points.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 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.
54 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.
3 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
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
54 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.
54 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
54 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.
54 Go to comments