Birkett praises Wasps support

Posted on Apr 19, 2012 in English Rugby, London Wasps, Premiership

Long-serving lock Richard Birkett has poured praise on the London Wasps fans who he says have been hugely supportive during a difficult spell for the team.

Birkett, who has made 257 appearances for Wasps in over a decade at the Club said:

“The good thing about Twitter and things like that is the direct link we have with our fans who have all been massively supportive. They have recognised that the players are giving it absolutely everything on the pitch. They see the state of us after games, they have seen that there are a lot of injuries, that there is a lot of uncertainty and that it is not easy. They have stuck right behind us and the crowds seem to be getting louder and louder which does make a huge difference. I think that they have been at their noisiest when we have been struggling recently and that says a lot. When you are at the top of a league it is very easy to give it the big one as a supporter, but when the chips are down that’s when you have to stick together as a playing squad, as supporters and as a Club.”

Birkett, who captained Wasps against Harlequins last weekend, also praised the efforts of a number of his young team-mates who have been forced to step up to become regular first team players this season.

With a well-documented number of injuries and forced retirements hindering the team’s advances this season, Wasps have relied heavily on a raft of talented youngsters who Birkett says have shown fantastic resolve.

“I have been massively impressed with all of those players who I think have shown maturity beyond their years. You look at Sam (Jones), Elliot (Daly), Joe (Launchbury) and Christian (Wade) and it’s not like we have asked them to come in step up and do a job on a one off, it has been every single week and it is asking a lot of them. I know that when I was that age, I got the odd 20 minutes here and there which was enough for me at that stage and these guys are stepping up for 80 minutes every week so you have to take your hat off to them.”

Birkett added that the team is well aware of the importance of Saturday’s game against Bath with Wasps desperate to secure their Aviva Premiership status before the final round.

“The Bath game is huge for obvious reasons. While we were disappointed to get nothing at the weekend; playing Quins away was always going to be really tough. I was very impressed with them. They are physical and confident and how they play reminds me of the way we played when we were doing well”

“Bath have their own off-field issues too but they’ll be well up for their last home game. We know going into it that depending on other results, if we put in a big performance this weekend and get the win, then that could be enough. But I wouldn’t underestimate Newcastle’s ability to win this weekend either. They surprised a few people last weekend and fair play to them – they are fighting.”

London Wasps play Bath this weekend before returning for their final home game of the season against Newcastle at Adams Park on May 5.

John Hart hangs up his boots

Posted on Apr 12, 2012 in English Rugby, London Wasps, Premiership

The long serving Hart, who has made 165 appearances for Wasps since his senior debut in 2003, has been advised that he must stop playing immediately due to a shoulder injury.

Hart, 30, who has captained Wasps on 38 occasions, graduated from the Wasps Academy making his full senior debut in November 2002.

In his time at the Club he played in two winning Premiership Finals as well as playing a key role in the squads which won two Heineken Cup titles.

His representative honours include England at U21 level and playing in the 2003 IRB Junior World Cup.

Hart said: “I’m really disappointed to bow out this way but the decision was taken out of my hands unfortunately. I had hoped I would be able to carry on to the end of the season but after the game against Northampton it was clear that I wouldn’t be able to. I’ve had great support from the Club in this matter and I want to thank everyone for that through a difficult time. London Wasps has been my only Club and I have been honoured to be part of the side of over a decade. I will look back on my time with the Club with great pride and always know how privileged I was to win Premiership and Heineken Cup titles. I want to thank my family for all their support over the years and of course everyone at the Club and all of the supporters for everything.”

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “Harty has been a lynchpin in the Wasps side for a number of years and I have been hugely impressed with him in my short time with the Club. His leadership and passion for Wasps was the reason I named him my captain at the start of the season and it’s sad to see him have to retire before the season is out. We wish him all the best in the next stage of his life.”

Damian Hopley, CEO of the Rugby Players Association, said: “It is hugely disappointing to lose another leader from the game through injury. John Hart is a highly respected member of the dressing room who epitomises the club ethos having graduated from Wasps Academy. John will be sorely missed by Wasps fans after showing tremendous commitment and loyalty to the club for over a decade. Very few players can claim two Premiership and two Heineken Cup medals and John deserves to look back with immense pride on everything he has achieved with London Wasps. As with all of our RPA members, we will continue to support John during the next exciting stage of his life and would like to wish him and his family the very best of luck for the future.”

Nic Berry re-signs for London Wasps

Posted on Mar 9, 2012 in English Rugby, London Wasps, Premiership

London Wasps have announced the re-signing of scrum-half Nic Berry after another impressive season in the black and gold shirt.

Berry, 27, joined Wasps two seasons ago from Racing Metro and has become a key member of the squad with 40 appearances to date. Berry has enjoyed a healthy tussle for the number nine shirt with Charlie Davies and Joe Simpson this season and with the latter now cruelly ruled out with injury; the Australian scrum-half will play an increasingly important role in the season run-in.

Berry said: “I am delighted to have renewed my contract with Wasps. Though we’ve had a tough season so far I totally believe we have the coaching staff and players to restore the club to where it should be. Both my wife and I have made some great friends through the club and we are excited to be extending our stay here in London.”

London Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “I have been really impressed with Nic this season. He is a talented number nine with a great attitude and I’m delighted that he’s staying here. We’ve got a pool of very good scrum-halves in place for next season and that competition for places is extremely healthy.”

Berry joins a growing list of players who have signed contract extensions at Wasps in recent weeks with Hugo Southwell, Tim Payne, Tinus Du Plessis and James Cannon all agreeing new deals.

Payne and Southwell commit to Wasps

Posted on Feb 28, 2012 in London Wasps, Premiership

London Wasps have announced today that senior players Tim Payne and Hugo Southwell have committed their futures to the Club by agreeing contract extensions.

Payne and Southwell, two ever-presents in the Wasps starting line-up this season, have both signed extensions this week as Director of Rugby Dai Young continues to shape his squad for the coming seasons.

Young said: “It’s great to see senior talented guys like this commit to the Club for the years ahead. Tim Payne has shown a real appetite and hunger to continue his career at the highest level and I believe he remains one of the best loose-heads in the country. Hugo Southwell has been a real lynchpin at fullback and his international experience is playing an important role in developing some of the younger talent we have in our back-line. These are the kind of quality players we want to keep at the Club.”

Tim Payne’s deal takes him into his tenth season with London Wasps having joined back in 2003 and having made 238 appearances to date. The 22-times capped international prop has played in three Premiership finals with Wasps, winning all of them, and also holds two Heineken Cup medals.

Hugo Southwell has been an assured presence at fullback all season with his intelligent boot and excellent defence making him one of the first names on the team-sheet. He has made 21 appearances since joining from Stade Francais. Southwell has won 59 caps for Scotland.

Sale make changes up front for Wasps match

Posted on Feb 23, 2012 in English Rugby, London Wasps, Premiership, Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks have announced their team for the Aviva Premiership Round 16 game against London Wasps at Edgeley Park tomorrow (Friday), kick off 7.45 p.m. Andy Powell, not in the Wales 22 at Twickenham, continues at No.8 and Kearnan Myall is included in the second row, his first start since the Amlin Challenge Cup game at La Vila on January 14th. Vadim Cobilas is preferred at tight head prop and James Gaskell switches to blindside flanker.

Sharks: 15.Rob Miller, 14.Tom Brady, 13.Johnny Leota, 12.Sam Tuitupou (capt.), 11.Mark Cueto, 10.Nick Macleod, 9.Dwayne Peel, 1.Andrew Sheridan, 2.Marc Jones, 3.Vadim Cobilas, 4.Andrei Ostrikov, 5.Kearnan Myall, 6.James Gaskell, 7.David Seymour, 8.Andy Powell.

Replacements: 16.Joe Ward, 17.Ross Harrison, 18.Tony Buckley, 19.Onosa’i Auva’a,  20.Mark Easter, 21.Cillian Willis, 22.Luther Burrell, 23.Joaquin Tuculet

Looking ahead to his side’s remaining seven games, Sharks’ Chief Executive Steve Diamond said, “We’ve got four home games left in the Aviva Premiership, and we’ve got to win them all, starting with Friday if we’re to challenge the top four. Our discipline let us down a bit at Northampton last Saturday, so we need to keep winning our home games and pickup points where we can on the road.”

Friday’s game brings London Wasps to face current Sharks’ Head Coach Tony Hanks, but the former Adams Park Director of Rugby says, “I’m very focused about the task in hand here. This game is not about me, it’s about Sale Sharks, our ambition and what we want to achieve. Getting the points is paramount.”