RUGBY UNION - Wasps make four changes ahead of Harlequins clash - The Coventry Observer

RUGBY UNION - Wasps make four changes ahead of Harlequins clash

Coventry Editorial 6th Nov, 2021   0

WASPS have made four changes from the side that beat Bath last week with Will Porter, Alex McHenry, Ali Crossdale and Nizaam Carr all coming into the starting XV.

 

Porter replaces the injured Dan Robson at scrum-half and forms a half-back partnership with Jacob Umaga.

 




Jimmy Gopperth also misses out after his head injury at the Rec which means Michael Le Bourgeois switches to inside centre and McHenry comes in at 13.

 


The other change to the backline sees Crossdale replace Marcus Watson at full back and is joined by Zach Kibirige and Josh Bassett in the back three.

 

Wasps retain the same starting pack that faced Bath with the exception being Nizaam Carr, who comes in for Thomas Young at openside flanker.

 

Carr is joined in the back-row by captain Brad Shields and Tom Willis whilst Robin Hislop returns from Scotland international duty this week to start at loosehead prop.

 

Gabriel Oghre and Jeffery Toomaga-Allen complete the make-up of the front row with Elliott Stooke and Vaea Fifita linking up as the second-row pairing once again.

 

Elsewhere, on the bench, Michael van Vuuren and Zac Nearchou keep their places after making their Wasps debuts last week.

 

Young returns from Wales international duty this week, with Elliot Millar-Mills and Tim Cardall the other forwards in reserve.

 

Francois Hougaard, Tommy Mathews and Watson are the backs replacements.

 

Wasps starting XV

15 Ali Crossdale

14 Zach Kibirige

13 Alex McHenry

12 Michael Le Bourgeois

11 Josh Bassett

10 Jacob Umaga

9 Will Porter

1 Robin Hislop

2 Gabriel Oghre

3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen

4 Vaea Fifita

5 Elliott Stooke

6 Brad Shields (C)

7 Nizaam Carr

8 Tom Willis

 

Replacements 

16 Michael van Vuuren

17 Zac Nearchou

18 Elliot Millar-Mills

19 Tim Cardall

20 Thomas Young

21 Francois Hougaard

22 Tommy Mathews

23 Marcus Watson

 

Unavailable for selection (18): Charlie Atkinson, Tom Cruse, Malakai Fekitoa, James Gaskell, Jimmy Gopperth, Ben Harris, Joe Launchbury, Rob Miller, Ryan Mills, Matteo Minozzi, Ben Morris, Paolo Odogwu, Dan Robson, Will Simonds, Sam Spink, Theo Vukasinovic, Tom West, Jack Willis.

 

Wasps match against Harlequins kicks-off at 4:30pm on Sunday, November 7 at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

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