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'I felt we were short of ball-carriers': Wasps adjustments key to victory over Saracens
By PA
Wasps’ director of rugby Lee Blackett was delighted to see his side continue their momentum with a fourth home victory on the trot.
London Irish, Leicester, Toulouse and Saracens have all failed on their trips to Coventry, with Saracens the latest to depart with a 26-20 defeat.
The visitors outscored the hosts by three tries to two but 16 points from the boot of Jimmy Gopperth proved the difference.
Gopperth kicked four penalties and converted both their tries scored by Sam Spink and Elliot Stooke.
Alex Lewington, Nick Tompkins and Tom Woolstencroft scored Saracens’ tries, with Alex Lozowski adding a penalty and a conversion.
Blackett said: “I felt coming into the game it was a big game for our season in terms of the league and our support.
“The support has been building since Christmas and that’s what we want as people come to watch successful teams and you can’t hide away from that.
“It was important that we stayed in touch in the league as teams can quite easily pull away before you know it.”
Wasps were out of the traps quickly to build up a 10-point lead as they dominated the opening quarter, and Blackett added: “The only disappointment was probably how many points we put on the board and I just felt we let them off in terms of that.
“And then all the momentum went over to them but I thought we came out second half and shifted that momentum straight away.”
Wasps were buoyed by the return of skipper Joe Launchbury and Tongan centre Malakai Fekitoa, both after long injury absences.
Launchbury started the game but was replaced at half-time, with Fekitoa coming on for the last quarter.
Blackett said: “It was always the plan to give Joe just one half and we would thought it better for him to start.
“I felt we were short of ball-carriers, so Malakai coming on made a huge difference in the final period.”
Saracens were without their director of rugby Mark McCall as he takes a few weeks off with an illness, so coach Kevin Sorrell assumed control of the team.
Sorrell said: “The game left a frustrating feeling overall.
“We didn’t get any field position in the first 20 minutes and that was caused by a combination of our errors and ill-discipline.
“We came on strong in the second quarter but the second half was an exact replica of the first.”
Saracens had two tries ruled out by referee Karl Dickson and his TMO panel and for most of the game seemed to be on the wrong end of the decisions.
“Our boys showed unbelievable character and although we have to look inwards at ourselves, some of the decisions were tough to take,” Sorrell added.
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Latest Comments
It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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