RCC: Wasps V Zebre - match discussion and score predictions

Line-ups not yet available.

Further information at: http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/match?gameId=290634&league=271937

Thought I'd get the ball rolling with some score predictions. I'm going for: Wasps 90 - 8 Zebre

Will Dai Young select some fringe players to rest up for the visit to Toulouse next week?

LondonTiger wrote:Will Dai Young select some fringe players to rest up for the visit to Toulouse next week?

Advisable - Wasps could make 10 changes for this and still get a bonus point win. I would advise taking the strongest available team to Italy for the return fixture though.

I reckon AWJ would rank 5th against all of the available locks in this game, but it is close between 3 to 5

Zebre +44 on the handicap,I'll wait for the teams but if Zebre put out a decent side that looks tasty.They aren't any good and Wasps will rack up a good score but it'll pretty tough to beat them by that much if Wasps use fringe players and Zebre actually put out their first team.

BamBam wrote:I reckon AWJ would rank 5th against all of the available locks in this game, but it is close between 3 to 5

Who's AWJ - Wasps or Zebre?

BamBam wrote:I reckon AWJ would rank 5th against all of the available locks in this game, but it is close between 3 to 5

So what?

I would expect Wasps to rotate heavily. The likes of Launchbury, Cipriani, Daly, Robson etc can all be safely rotated out with Wasps having available options.

A backline of; Simpson, Gopperth, Halai, Eastmond, Macken, Bassett, Miller would still pack plenty of threat and see some key players rested.

Pot Hale wrote:

BamBam wrote:I reckon AWJ would rank 5th against all of the available locks in this game, but it is close between 3 to 5

Who's AWJ - Wasps or Zebre?

Griff wrote:

BamBam wrote:I reckon AWJ would rank 5th against all of the available locks in this game, but it is close between 3 to 5

So what?

It was a poor attempt at a joke, I wasn't expecting many to be on this thread

See the Glasgow-Leicester thread for reference

This world class fella seems to get talked about often, on world class threads it seems as well .

Lineups should be up after lunchtime.

Wasps’ Director of Rugby Dai Young has named his side to take on Italian visitors Zebre Rugby, at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday (1pm kick off), in the opening round of this season’s European Champions Cup.

Joe Launchbury captains the side from the second row, starting alongside James Gaskell. Tom Cruse makes his second start for the club following a strong debut against Saracens. Tommy Taylor is named on the bench, after sickness ruled him out of last Sunday’s match.

Matt Mullan and Jake Cooper-Woolley start in the front row, with reinforcements on the bench coming in the form of Tom Bristow and Phil Swainston. Simon McIntyre is ruled out through an ankle injury while Marty Moore is forced to sit out due to a neck spasm.

Wasps’ side features the same back row as last week, with Guy Thompson returning from a groin strain to take a place on the bench.

In the back line, Kyle Eastmond makes his first start for Wasps and Frank Halai comes onto the right wing in place of Christian Wade, who misses out due to an oblique injury. Jimmy Gopperth is named on the bench having played every minute of every game so far this season.

Also on the bench is the welcome sight of Samoan international Alapati Leiua, who will perhaps receive the biggest cheer of the day if he comes on, having battled back to full fitness from two ACL reconstructions.

Ahead of the opening round, Dai Young said: “It’s always exciting to play in Europe’s top competition - you spend ten months working your socks off to get into it, so when it starts you really want to make the most of it. The best way to enjoy it is to get off to a good start and to do yourselves justice.

“We did well last year and probably exceeded everyone’s expectations by qualifying from the dreaded pool of death and progressing to the Semi Final. However, last year is last year. It counts for nothing this year. We must start afresh and put all our focus on trying to qualify from the group.

“We need to start with a really big performance on Saturday at home to Zebre Rugby. They are a proud team with plenty of Italian internationals in their squad and I expect them to come to the Ricoh Arena feeling they have nothing to lose.

“It will be great to welcome back Carlo Festuccia. Carlo’s a fantastic guy who keeps in touch with the boys here. He’s a quality player who was outstanding for us at Wasps and I’m sure he will play his socks off for Zebre. As much as we will enjoy catching up with him after the game, we need to make sure he doesn’t go home with too much of a smile on his face!”

Tickets are available from £15 with Under 10s going free, at the Ricoh Arena Ticket office and online at wasps.co.uk/tickets.

Please note Saturday’s early kick off time of 1pm.

Wasps team to play Zebre Rugby
15. Rob Miller
14. Frank Halai
13. Elliot Daly
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Josh Bassett
10. Danny Cipriani
9. Joe Simpson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tom Cruse
3. Jake Cooper-Woolley
4. Joe Launchbury ©
5. James Gaskell
6. Ashley Johnson
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes

16. Tommy Taylor
17. Tom Bristow
18. Phil Swainston
19. Matt Symons
20. Guy Thompson
21. Dan Robson
22. Jimmy Gopperth
23. Alapati Leiua


That is one helluva bench! Great to see Leiua back playing.

Gonna stick with my early prediction.

Finished 82 - 14 to wasps. My prediction was the closest.

What's the point in Zebre being in this comp? It's just a joke really.