Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan was far from happy despite seeing his side beat Harlequins 24-18.
Quins boss not pleased with interpretations of referee in first half
Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan was far from happy despite seeing his side record a 24-18 victory over Harlequins.
While the British & Irish Lions head coach was pleased enough with his team's performance he was left fuming at his hands being tied in terms of selection.
Paul Sackey was controversially prevented from playing for his club by England's doctor Mike Bundy, due to an ankle injury.
In contrast, opponents Quins were allowed to start Nick Easter and Ugo Monye, two players who played all four of the autumn internationals.
Agreement
The England elite players squad (EPS) agreement states that all members had to be rested for one Guinness Premiership game between rounds nine and 11. Both Easter and Monye were not selected in the original party.
"I don't understand how some players can play four internationals and be available for all three Premiership games - and other players who only played two internationals have to be rested for one game," McGeechan said.
"They tell me if you are officially in the EPS squad it makes a difference - but that is not player welfare. If you have played four internationals in the autumn the rest now is supposed to stop all that backing up.
"If it is such a big thing let's have an even playing field because we are getting screwed off the field and screwed by what we can put on it at times.
"There has to be flexibility both sides and Premier Rugby have to be flexible just as England have to be. You don't go very far if you are just sticking to regulations all the time. If you live by contracts you lose the whole essence of what you try to do.
"We will support England to the nth degree, that is what we are about, but we just look for a bit of support a well. What irritates me is that we do look after our players."
On Sackey's non-selection, he added: "The England physio decided Sackey wasn't fit to play yesterday (Saturday) morning.
"They asked him to do a fitness test and as a result of that we agreed to withdraw him. He (Sackey) believes he was fitter yesterday than he was before the South Africa Test in November."
Rees blow
To make matters worse for Wasps they saw Tom Rees hobble off, the England flanker having suffered a potentially serious knee injury.
"He has re-injured an old injury," coach Shaun Edwards admitted. "Sometimes when you do that it is not quite as bad but he was pretty disconsolate in the dressing room afterwards."
Ironically, Easter (back) and Monye (neck) both failed to make half-time after suffering injuries in a physical first 40 minutes at Adams Park.
Quins trailed by 21-3 at the break before fighting back to pick up a losing bonus point, though director of rugby Dean Richards was left perplexed by the performance of referee Sean Davey in the opening half.
"You have to question how we got to that point at half-time," he said.
"There were 10 free-kicks or penalties in the scrum area and you have to question whether we - Wasps and Harlequins - are as bad as people make us out to be or whether somebody else got it wrong on the day."
