Wasps confirm Joe Launchbury nearing comeback after neck injury

Wasps have confirmed lock Joe Launchbury is expected to return to action at the end of the month following neck surgery.

The England star, 23, has been sidelined since October and missed the entirety of England's Six Nations campaign but is set to be back on Aviva Premiership duty when Wasps take on Exeter on April 26 or Leicester on May 9.

Director of rugby Dai Young said: "Joe is in the final stage of his rehab, so he's over the worst, but if one or two days don't quite go to plan it will make a difference in when he's back.

Joe is in the final stage of his rehab, so he's over the worst, but if one or two days don't quite go to plan it will make a difference in when he's back.

"We've pencilled in either the Leicester or the Exeter games, so he should be back in either of those games. It will be like having a new signing."

Looking ahead to Sunday's trip to face two-time European champions Toulon in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup, for which Launchbury will be absent, Young added: "If this is a slow, set-piece game we'll lose. If they are allowed to control the tempo, we don't have enough to win.

"If we can get some real tempo and intensity and ask questions of them, then who knows what can happen? This is a game we have to try to win. If we sit back and are conservative, there's only winner.

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"Toulon have lost games and they're not unbeatable, so you have to back yourselves.

"We've shown we can upset the best teams. Against these guys we'll have to play for 80 minutes. We just have to go out there and really play.

"If we can get quick line-outs or taps going then great. Anything within kicking range we'll kick it, but until then let's play rugby. It may be good enough on the day, it may not.

"We're not going to throw caution to the wind, but we have to be a little more adventurous than we would be in the Premiership."

Watch Toulon v Wasps, Sunday 3.15pm, Sky Sports 2