Preview: Wasps v Harlequins
Wasps welcome back Riki Flutey and George Skivington to their XV for the London derby against Harlequins in the Guinness Premiership at Adams Park on Sunday.
Wasps welcome back Riki Flutey and George Skivington to their XV for the London derby against Harlequins in the Guinness Premiership at Adams Park on Sunday.
Flutey, who has been out of action since the start of January with a hamstring problem, will team up with in form youngster Dominic Waldouck in the midfield.
Skivington, who has missed the last month after requiring surgery to clean up an infection in the cartilage of his nose, pairs up with fellow England Saxon Tom Palmer in the second row.
International demands mean Wasps are without five regular first-teamers in total, including scrum-half Eoin Reddan and prop Phil Vickery, so Mark McMillan, scorer of Wasps injury time match-winning try against Bristol a fortnight ago, teams up with Dave Walder at half-back.
But Danny Cipriani, dropped by England on Thursday, takes a pew on the bench.
“Although we didn't play last weekend, we nevertheless faced more upheaval this week as we prepared for the game against Harlequins without our international contingent,” said Wasps boss Ian McGeechan.
“Obviously we have trained all week without Danny, as he came back to us only on Friday. Dave Walder had already been told he was going to start this game, and we were not about to change that decision having made it. Danny is just pleased to be in the 22, and we are delighted to have him.”
Harlequins make only one change to the side that beat Guinness Premiership leaders Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop last weekend.
Tom Guest has recovered from injury and with Nick Easter away on England duty it means he comes back into the side, with the captains armband going to Will Skinner.
Form: Wasps suffered another postponement at Newcastle on Friday, this time due to dangerous winds. Wasps have lost just one of their last seven encounters in the Guinness Premiership. Harlequins are now mounting a serious push for a Guinness Premiership semi-final spot with three successive wins and defeat of table-topping Gloucester in a thriller at the Stoop on Saturday. Quins won 26-25 at the Twickenham Stoop on 20 October and are going for a season double over Wasps for the first time since 2002/03.
Wasps: 15 Josh Lewsey, 14 Mark Van Gisbergen, 13 Dominic Waldouck, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 David Doherty, 10 Dave Walder, 9 Mark McMillan, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio (c), 7 Joe Worsley, 6 John Hart, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 George Skivington, 3 Tom French, 2 Raphaël Ibañez, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Joe Ward, 17 Nick Adams, 18 Dan Leo, 19 Rob Webber, 20 Simon Amor, 21 Danny Cipriani, 22 Fraser Waters.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Tom Williams, 13 Hal Luscombe, 12 Tosh Masson, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Danny Care, 8 Tom Guest, 7 Will Skinner (c), 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Nicolas Spanghero, 4 James Percival, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Tani Fuga, 1 Ceri Jones.
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 John Brooks, 18 George Robson, 19 Chris Hala'ufia, 20 Andy Gomarsall, 21 Chris Malone, 22 De Wet Barry.
Date: Sunday, 9 March
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Venue: Adams Park
Referee: Andrew Small
Touch judges: Andrew Pearce, Paul Dickens
Assessor: Brian Campsall
Television match official: John Burtenshaw