London Welsh v Wasps: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 10/04/15 4:16pm
Ashley Johnson will make his first start at hooker for Wasps when they visit relegated London Welsh on Sunday.
The South Africa international has primarily played in the back row for Wasps, but he is handed the No 2 jersey as they chase a bonus-point victory that will keep them in the hunt for an Aviva Premiership semi-final spot.
England flanker James Haskell skippers his side at the Kassam Stadium with Thomas Young named at openside, while Jake Cooper-Woolley is given a start at tighthead.
Alaptai Leiua starts at centre after making his return as a replacement in Toulon last weekend. He partners Elliot Daly, with Andrea Masi starting at full-back as Rob Miller is rested.
Sailosi Tagicakibau returns from injury to start on the wing, and fly-half Andy Goode is also restored to the starting line-up.
"This Sunday is a potential banana skin for us,” said Wasps director of rugby Dai Young. “We know we have everything to lose going into the game and we have to be ready for it mentally.
“If we want to be a top six side we have to go to these places and win, but if you don't get it right mentally it's a game that could hurt you.”
London Welsh have lost all four of their previous meetings with Wasps and they make five changes to the team that was beaten by Bath in round 18.
Chris Elder, Darren Waters and Josh McNally are all in line to make their Premiership debuts, while Ben West partners club captain Matt Corker in the second row.
London Welsh: 15 Seb Jewell, 14 Seb Stegmann, 13 Nic Reynolds, 12 Tom May (c), 11 Chris Elder, 10 Tristan Roberts, 9 Rob Lewis; 1 Nathan Trevett, 2 Koree Britton, 3 Ben Cooper, 4 Ben West, 5 Matt Corker, 6 Pete Browne, 7 Darren Waters, 8 Opeti Fonua.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Eddie Aholelei, 18 Jack Gilding, 19 Josh McNally, 20 Richard Thorpe, 21 Paul Rowley, 22 Olly Barkley, 23 James Lewis.
Wasps: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Joe Simpson; 1 Matt Mullan, 2 Ashley Johnson, 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 4 James Cannon, 5 James Gaskell, 6 James Haskell (c), 7 Thomas Young, 8 Guy Thompson.
Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 James Downey.