Wasps-bound forwards coach Richard Blaze says there is enough talent at his disposal to ensure the club punch their weight in a fierce battle for Midlands supremacy.
With Wasps and Blaze’s former club Leicester assembling new coaching teams and Northampton flying high under Chris Boyd, three ambitious clubs are preparing to go at it with a third of the season remaining and local rivalries set to reach incendiary levels.
Blaze, set to join Wasps after three years coaching men’s and women’s teams at the RFU, told The Rugby Paper: “There’s a great core of players at Wasps who suit the way (head coach) Lee Blackett wants to play – fast tempo, but also capable of meeting the challenge of Plan B by making sure we can be physical and tough through the winter.
“There are good, established forwards but the growth of the academy has also been good and you’ve seen that with the Willis brothers, Jack and Tom, coming through. There are also excellent young hookers in Gabriel Oghre and Alfie Barbeary I’m excited about.
“Throughout the pack, there’s a lot of talent – then outside that Jacob Umaga stepped up last season as a young flyhalf in a very hard league. Having seen a lot of those guys through working with England U20s and the pathway, Wasps are in a very good place.”
Blaze, below, is determined to see more Wasps players make the grade with England.
Denne historien er fra June 07, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 07, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
