RugbyRebels

Wasps: Watson; Kibirige, Fekitoa, Gopperth, Bassett; Umaga, Robson (co-capt), Harris, Taylor, Brookes, Matthews, Flament, Willis, Young (co-capt), Shields.

Replacements: Oghre, West, Alo, Cardall, Carr, Porter, Sopoaga, Le Bourgeois.

Saracens: Goode; Segun, Taylor, Barritt (capt), Lewington; Vunipola, Whiteley; Barrington, Singleton, Koch, Kpoku, Hunter-Hill, Isiekwe, Reffell, Wray.

Replacements: Woolstencroft, Carre, Ibuanokpe, Christie, Pifeleti, Spencer, Morris, Crossdale.

Can't imagine many are watching this, but feck me it's been fun to watch.

Umaga showing why he's in the England camp, and Willis showing it's a travesty that he isn't.

If there's a game you guys watch on the prem tv channel, watch this one.

Definitely watch this one.

christ thats hardly a poor sarries side as well!

Wasps' season in a nutshell. Capable of the sublime, too often piss poor for it to mean much in the long run

Banquo wrote:christ thats hardly a poor sarries side as well!

But not a fully motivated/disciplined one, shows you don't need to step up/down much in performance to see huge swings in outcome. Though the real question is can they turn it on again when they actually want to? I'd say no, but they have delivered so many top performances I can't rule them out in Europe

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:christ thats hardly a poor sarries side as well!

But not a fully motivated/disciplined one, shows you don't need to step up/down much in performance to see huge swings in outcome. Though the real question is can they turn it on again when they actually want to? I'd say no, but they have delivered so many top performances I can't rule them out in Europe

A similar sarries side thrashed sale in the prem last week. Still more tier one internationals than wasps had in their lineup.

I don't think they've completely given up in the prem.

Raggs wrote:

Digby wrote:

Banquo wrote:christ thats hardly a poor sarries side as well!

But not a fully motivated/disciplined one, shows you don't need to step up/down much in performance to see huge swings in outcome. Though the real question is can they turn it on again when they actually want to? I'd say no, but they have delivered so many top performances I can't rule them out in Europe

A similar sarries side thrashed sale in the prem last week. Still more tier one internationals than wasps had in their lineup.

I don't think they've completely given up in the prem.

But they're inconsistent now, understandable given all the mess and that they're playing kids. Maybe the senior pros coming back in for Europe means they will be able to turn it on when they want to, and not as now when they hope to

Digby wrote:

Raggs wrote:

Digby wrote:
But not a fully motivated/disciplined one, shows you don't need to step up/down much in performance to see huge swings in outcome. Though the real question is can they turn it on again when they actually want to? I'd say no, but they have delivered so many top performances I can't rule them out in Europe

A similar sarries side thrashed sale in the prem last week. Still more tier one internationals than wasps had in their lineup.

I don't think they've completely given up in the prem.

But they're inconsistent now, understandable given all the mess and that they're playing kids. Maybe the senior pros coming back in for Europe means they will be able to turn it on when they want to, and not as now when they hope to

True.

Wasps also played as you should against Sarries. Forward carriers taking the ball often at pace. 10 sitting deep, either playing the ball then flat to the defence to a runner, or sending it down a deep line to the wings, or kicking over/across the defence. Sarries defence had to work very very hard to little of their usual reward is how it felt to me.

Just caught the highlights. Kibirige and Umaga looked electric. Also a shout out to Tommy Taylor for a great left-hand miss pass for Kibirige’s first.

Scrumhead wrote:Just caught the highlights. Kibirige and Umaga looked electric. Also a shout out to Tommy Taylor for a great left-hand miss pass for Kibirige’s first.

Kibirige's acceleration is out of this world. Umaga with another very well earned motm. He put in 2 absolutely thunderous touch finders from pens, one I believe was 50-55m, to take us to within 10m of the try line. Some really good crossfield kicks too, brilliant variety preventing sarries defence from easily choking us.

Credit to Umaga that Wasps look a far more dangerous outfit with him at 10 than they did with Sopoaga. What a flop he has been.

Scrumhead wrote:Credit to Umaga that Wasps look a far more dangerous outfit with him at 10 than they did with Sopoaga. What a flop he has been.

Mysterious one that. Umaga must have been a lot better than last week

Raggs wrote:

Digby wrote:

Raggs wrote:
A similar sarries side thrashed sale in the prem last week. Still more tier one internationals than wasps had in their lineup.

I don't think they've completely given up in the prem.

But they're inconsistent now, understandable given all the mess and that they're playing kids. Maybe the senior pros coming back in for Europe means they will be able to turn it on when they want to, and not as now when they hope to

True.

Wasps also played as you should against Sarries. Forward carriers taking the ball often at pace. 10 sitting deep, either playing the ball then flat to the defence to a runner, or sending it down a deep line to the wings, or kicking over/across the defence. Sarries defence had to work very very hard to little of their usual reward is how it felt to me.

Given pretty much nobody has done that to Sarries few years now until their comeuppance then for me the swing does lie more with Sarries than anything Wasps were doing. I'd buy Wasps could have beaten Sarries in a close game during the period Sarries were dominant (actually didn't you have a different big win against their kids?) but not smash them and post a huge score

We smashed them four years ago, but that wasn't kids i don't believe.

Wasn't kids but it was during the 6 Nations - the Valentine's Day Massacre

Just looked at the sides, Sarries were not at full strength, though there was no Launch or Jones for Wasps either. But even without Launch that was a Wasps side with a lot of quality, Piutau at the back and George Smith being the standouts

Extended highlights: http://sport.bt.com/extended-highlights ... 4433195687

Wasps did look good. When the game opens up they look a far better side. Willis is a natural and there were some very nice touches from Umaga. Saracens line up wasnt the worst by any means but such is their position that heads dropping at times is to be expected.

Raggs wrote:Extended highlights: http://sport.bt.com/extended-highlights ... 4433195687

25 minutes in and it looks like a Barbarians game.