Wasps v Leicester Tigers: Aviva Premiership preview
Last Updated: 08/05/15 1:38pm
James Haskell will make his 150th appearance for Wasps in Saturday’s Aviva Premiership shoot-out with Leicester Tigers at a sold-out Ricoh Arena.
Leicester occupy the final semi-final place but Wasps will leapfrog them into fourth with victory in front of a full house of 32,600.
Wasps are boosted by the return of England lock Joe Launchbury, who makes his first appearance in six months after recovering from a neck injury. He is among the replacements as Wasps name the same starting team that defeated Exeter in the last round.
Joe Simpson, who scored a contender for try of the season against the Chiefs, partners Andy Goode at half-back, while Ashley Johnson continues in the back-row alongside skipper Haskell and Nathan Hughes.
Leicester welcome back club captain Ed Slater and prop Marcos Ayerza from injury for the trip to Coventry. Slater is included in a matchday 23 for the first time this season following a long-term knee injury, while Ayerza is also included among the replacements after missing last month’s win over London Welsh.
Dan Cole is back at tighthead after being rested for the 38-17 victory over the Exiles, with Geoff Parling, Seremaia Bai and Vereniki Goneva also back in the starting line-up.
"This is a huge game for both sides in front of a sell-out crowd,” said Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill. “It's a big occasion and we want our support right behind us.”
"With a top-six finish and European qualification guaranteed if we were to win, you don't need to look far for motivation,” added Wasps boss Dai Young.
“If we were to achieve that, we would then have a shot at the play-offs. First we have to get past Leicester and that is a huge challenge, which has absorbed all our focus this week.”
Wasps: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Elliot Daly, 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Joe Simpson; 1 Matt Mullan, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 4 James Gaskell, 5 Kearnan Myall, 6 Ashley Johnson, 7 James Haskell (c), 8 Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 Will Taylor, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Guy Thompson, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Rob Miller.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Niall Morris, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Vereneki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs (c); 1 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Tom Youngs, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Brad Thorn, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Geoff Parling, 7 Julian Salvi, 8 Jordan Crane.
Replacements: 16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Jamie Gibson, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Tommy Bell, 23 Christian Loamanu.
