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.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 07, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 07, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.
Hancox joins the 200 club
AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `
To play in two World Cups was a dream
RUGBY started quite late for me.
Call time on this pantomime ploy
THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.
We need to kick on after winning at last
Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run