Palmer in it for the club
Wasps bring their season to a close on Saturday in the best possible manner, a Guinness Premiership Final against old rivals Leicester.
Wasps bring their season to a close on Saturday in the best possible manner, a Guinness Premiership Final against old rivals Leicester.
It's Lawrence Dallaglio's last ever game, and whilst many would see this as an extra motivation to win that is not the case for Wasps second row Tom Palmer.
Palmer, a regular in the Wasps side this season, spoke exclusively to Planet Rugby and revealed Wasps want to win for the club and not one player in particular.
“I don't think it being Lawrence's last game puts any extra pressure on us to be honest,” he said.
“It is a massive game for the club anyway, which brings with it its own pressure.
Everyone wants to win this game so just because Lawrence and Fraser Waters (who is leaving the club at the end of the season) are playing their last game, it doesn't change things.
“We have got ourselves into the final and now the entire focus is on us winning it, not for any one player but for the club.
“It was our goal at the start of the season and we need one more big win to ensure we finish having achieved our goal.”
As with Leicester, Saturday's final represents the last chance of silverware for Wasps this season, and Palmer is well aware of the need to win a trophy.
“Lets not kid ourselves, if we end up without a trophy we will be very disappointed, and rightly so,” he said.
“It has been a long hard year for us and we wouldn't want to let that hard work slip now at this stage.”
That hard work has seen Wasps win eleven of their last twelve games in the Guinness Premiership, securing try bonus points in six of them.
Quite a turnaround from their early season form. During the World Cup Wasps suffered their worst ever start to a Premiership season, losing five of their first six games.
The main worry Wasps had, once they began to turn their season, was that there would be another slump during the Six Nations. That didn't prove to be the case and as Palmer points out that was the turning point of their season.
“From out point of view it was superb to keep the form going through the Six Nations,” the eight-times capped England forward said.
“We have got great strength in depth here, be it with recognised players or those coming up from the ranks.
“To know you have quality players around you is a big boost, especially when you have so many away on international duty.
“Had we lost even one game during that period we would never have been able to make it this far, so hats off to the lads for pulling through and giving us this chance on Saturday.”
One player who will miss out on Saturday is injured fly-half Danny Cipriani, although Palmer, ever the optimist, is confident they can survive without him.
“Danny is obviously a huge loss for us,” he said.
“He is a special talent and has proven all season just how important he is and that has reflected in the attention around him.
“It is never easy to replace such a formidable player but like I said before we have good depth here and whoever plays at fly-half will do a job for us.”
And what better game to 'do a job' in than against Leicester, a team Palmer has the utmost respect for.
“There is no getting away from the fact we have a special respect for Leicester,” he added.
“You always know as a player when you have played them, the next day you feel it that bit more.
“Obviously we will give them the respect they deserve, as I am sure they will do the same to us, but apart from that there will be no holding back.
“We can't afford to underestimate them. They are in good form lately and beat Gloucester away in the last game so we know they will come into this full of confidence.”
By Marcus Leach