This Sunday 18 May will be the day that the final of the 2008 Guinness Premiership are decided, starting with 2 crunch semi-final games competed by 4 bitter rivals – Wasps, Bath, Gloucester and Leicester Tigers. The first semi-final is between traditional English powerhouses, London Wasps and Bath, featuring 7 South African players! Sharksworld previews this game below.
The game has additional spice in that it could indeed be the final games for Lawrence Dallagio (Wasps – retiring), Steve Borthwick (Bath – moving to Saracens) and Ollie Barkley (Bath – moving to Gloucester).
Last weekend, London Wasps demolished relegated Leeds Carnegie in the final pool game of the season to usurp Bath (who lost the West Country derby to log-toppers Gloucester) in second spot and claim a home semi-final.
After an uncharacteristicly poor start to the season, with a squad blighted by World Cup call-ups, Wasps have finished the season strongly and one could argue that momentum is on their side. In fact, Wasps have beaten Bath twice this season, and so should be starting this game as favourites with home advantage.
Bath, on the otherhand, have had a very consistent season under coach Steve Meehan after a poor 2006/2007 season, and have only lost just the once at The Rec this season. Ominously that sole defeat was to the hands of Wasp…
However ex-Saracens head coach and new Munster coach Alan Gaffney was immensely impressed with Bath in their 66-21 demolishing of Saracens a few weeks ago, proclaiming it as one of the most complete performances ever seen in the competition. “It is going to take a very good defensive side to hold them out,” said Gaffney, although Wasps are known for their outstanding application of the rush defensive system – pioneered by head coach Shawn Edwards.
Players to watch:
Bath:
The 9-10-12 axis of Michael Claassens, Butch James and Ollie Barkley has been a revelation this season, and they will be key players. Butch James believes that skipper Steve Borthwick is the best captain he’s ever played under – Bath will be reliant on his cool captaincy in this game. Opensider Michael Lipman is one of the best offloaders of the ball, and as current English incumbent will have a point to prove to challenger Tom Rees. 6’7 foot tall winger Matt Banahan has impressed enough in his debut season – enough to be called up into the England Saxons squad last week. Not bad considering he was originally contracted as a lock!
Wasps:
As ever, talisman Lawrence Dallagio will want to have a say in matters, more so than ever in his final game of professional rugby. Danny Cipriani has been hailed as the new saviour of British backline play and much will be expected of him in this game. Riki Flutely is a midfield general, one of the best distributers of the ball, and Wasps will be counting on him to get their all-star English back 3 (Lewsey, Sackey and Voyce) firing on all cylinders. Blindside flanker James Haskell is regarded as a future England skipper, and should be heavily involved in the breakdown battle. Also look out for his surprising pace if he gets the ball in hand.
Prediction:
Wasps will be looking to starve Bath of the ball, so line-outs and the battle of the breakdown will be key contests. This should be a titanic battle that could be decided by an individual moment of brilliance, however I’m going to stick my neck out and predict a narrow Wasps win based on their current momentum and being perenially thereabouts in the play-offs.
SA players on Display:
Bath – Butch James, Michael Claassens, Matt Stevens, Pieter Dixon, Nick Abendanon
Wasps – Fraser Waters, Pat Barnard
The teams:
Wasps: 15 Josh Lewsey, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Fraser Waters, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio (captain), 7 Tom Rees, 6 James Haskell, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Pat Barnard, 2 Raphael Ibanez, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements (from): Richard Birkett, Tom French, John Hart, Joe Ward, Joe Worsley, Mark McMillan, Jeremy Staunton, Mark van Gisbergen, Dominic Waldouck.
Bath: 15 Joe Maddock, 14 Andy Higgins, 13 Alex Crockett, 12 Olly Barkley, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Daniel Browne, 7 Michael Lipman, 6 Jonny Faamatuainu, 5 Danny Grewcock, 4 Steve Borthwick (captain), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 David Barnes.
Replacements: 16 AN Other, 17 Duncan Bell, 18 Peter Short, 19 Chris Goodman, 20 Mike Baxter, 21 Shaun Berne, 22 Nick Abendanon
Venue: Adams Park, London
Kick-off: 14.00 (15.00 SA time, 13.00 GMT)
Referee: Chris White
Touch judges: Robin Goodliffe, Paul Dix
TMO: Matt Peters, Graham Hughes
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Go Butch & Bath!!!
On a different note, the Wasps’ New Zealand inside centre Riki Flutely has made himself available for England from September after completeing “a 3 year residency” period. This after being a Junior Allblack alongside Richie McCaw back in ’99.
So he’s going to do a Vainikolo, only diff being that Vainikolo was actually in the UK for about 5 years which actually more closer to the “proper immigration rules”.
Personally I think its disgusting that England bends the rules for non-EU sportstars to “qualify” them faster. Its going to happen in cricket – look at all the SA Kolpak cricketers over there who will try “qualify” ffor England, despite playing in SA still for half the year. A mockery. Now with the vast amounts of cash being flashed in the English rugby scene, it will happen too – though I suspect ther’ll be more Kiwis “defecting”.
France is hesitant to pick these foreign superstars as they realsie they are not truly French. Why can’t England, or have they become a true mercenary union?
Rant over.
@Le Requinny (Comment 1) : England are the masters of getting other people to do the dirty work (or any work) for them and then taking the credit. 😉
The ultimate colonial master.
God save the queen. 😈
And I hope Bath murders Wasps this afternoon.
Toughest league in the world – according to the presenter on Sky.
Hope Butch remembers to use his arms.
Dewi Morris must be colour blind, he always wears the colourful ties that dont match his suit. 😕
LOL, so it going to be just me & you on this thread…
Am hoping for 3 things:
1) Bath thrash Wasps
2) Butch has a blinder to remind PDV who is baas
3) Dayglo & Danny C get thumped…
Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio has endured a traumatic week ahead of the Guinness Premiership play-off semi-final against Bath in which his six-year-old son Enzo was attacked by the family dog and suffered severe facial wounds.
@Le Requinny (Comment 7) : Hope so too.
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 8) :
I can actually picture Dayglo having a Pit Bull or something…
Just like I can see Phil Vickery owing a fat bulldog, and Danny C a chiahuahua… what do they say, a man’s dog always resembles his owner?
Rhodesian ridgeback according to the Sunday Times. Had to be put down.
Beautiful dogs.
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 11) :
Huh? That’s a bit uncharacteristic – they’re normally non-aggressive towards people they know. Must have been provoked.
@Le Requinny (Comment 12) : Very strange. I also thought the are very non-aggressive. My brother-in-law has one, and it’s a lovely dog. Wouldn’t harm a fly.
Seems I was wrong:
“The vet and I believe Como may have had a tumour that is pressing against his brain and when touched on that part of the head, the pain was unbearable and made him react as he did.”
How can this article claim Matt Stevens as an SA Player?
This is what Dallaglio told The Times. “The vet and I believe Como may have had a tumour that is pressing against his brain and when touched on that part of the head, the pain was unbearable and made him react as he did.”
Snap. 🙂
Time for some beer, blue cheese & bacon chips, and rugby. 😀
Okay who said this last week?
GO BATH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bath already missed two relaatively easy penalty kicks. 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) :
But he is!
He was just “poached” by England 😉 !
Fraser Waters left SA at the age of 11! Represented England Schools, Colts, U21’s and Students. Hardly a true Blue Saffer. 🙄
Do you guys also reckon that Paul Sackey is overrrated?
Someone on Rugby Club called him “the best winger in Europe” the other day, which I find ridiculous…
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 22) :
How sure are you about the 11 bit, cause he went to scool at Bishops – that’s a fact!
Nick’s brother, his grandparents and his mum’s sisters still live in Johannesburg and 20 of his family watched his England debut in Pretoria. A few of them were supporting South Africa and wearing the green-and-gold.
@Le Requinny (Comment 24) : According to Wasps website.
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 25) : Nick Abendanon that is.
@Le Requinny (Comment 23) : He’s good, but hardly the best imho.
Abendanon alos posed nekkid for charity. 🙄 What’s the world coming to?
TMO pending. Think try Bath.
Lewsey drops pass inside in-goal area. Try Bath.
Conversion over. 7-0 Bath.
Try given after a Lewsey fumble behind his own line.
Dammit, been summoned to the Bath Store abd B&Q by the OH, so going to miss this game 🙁
Back later for Gloucs – Tigers
Great pass. Try Wasps.
@Le Requinny (Comment 33) : 😆 Know the feeling.
7-7 Fraser Waters scored for Wasps.
Wasps playing well.
@Le Requinny (Comment 33) : I also have a bathroom that needs redoing …
Flutey over in the corner.
14-7 Wasps.
Half time.
Wasps take it. 👿
Full time 21-10.
Late change to Gloucester. Mike Tindall out.
Probably still drunk from the ‘royal’ wedding yesterday. 😉
Bugger, Wasps won… 👿
How bad is Cipriani’s injury, lol, I see he got klapped
!
@Le Requinny (Comment 44) : They seem to think it’s broken.
@racheltjiedebeer (Comment 45) :
Am I bad person for wearing this expression on my face
?
@Le Requinny (Comment 44) :
Well at least Butch can come home now 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) : Thought occurred to me too
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) :
No he can’t…
It’s the Euro Challenge Final next weekend, Sun 25 May. Bath play Worcester for that trophy…doubt he will be released just for a training session quite honestly….
@Le Requinny (Comment 49) :
forgot about that 😡