Gatland plays down Shaw concerns

WASPS and England second-row Simon Shaw remains a slight doubt for Sunday's Heineken Cup semi-final against Munster even though he has been named in the side.

Wasps director of rugby Warren Gatland played down the significance of Shaw's injury yesterday, picked up in a clash with former Connacht forward Colm Rigney last Sunday against Leeds.

"It happened in the last three minutes in a stamping incident involving Colm, so we wondered if Munster had something to do with it," said Gatland mischievously.

In fact, the RFU decided yesterday to take no disciplinary action after reviewing a tape of Leeds' match. The RFU's disciplinary officer, Jeff Blackett, insisted Gatland should have flagged the incident with the citing officer and took a swipe at his decision to make his feelings public.

"We have established a procedure with the directors of rugby for citing players in the Premiership following alleged incidents of foul play," he said.

"This includes the facility for individual clubs to ask the relevant citing officer to look at particular incidents.

"I would encourage all directors to use this facility rather than raising the issue through the media."

But Gatland added: "Simon's injury was a major concern for us.

"He hasn't been able to train this week and probably won't train at all, but you don't get them much tougher. He'll train when carrying injuries and you actually have to tell him to bugger off because he doesn't hold anything back. When he goes out there, he puts his body on the line and that's why he commands so much respect within the squad."

Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio added: "Simon's record speaks for itself. A lot of players would have been bitter at being omitted from the initial England World Cup squad but Simon just went straight on the phone to Warren and became very much part of Wasps going forward this season.

"He has been short-listed for the player's player of the year. In fact, he's the only England qualified player on that short list and that's a reflection of the regard he is held in. He's fractured his cheek bone and broken his nose already this season, so I'm sure a few bruised ribs won't be too much of a problem for him."

Both sides will rely on the same XVs that got them through to the last four, with Shaun Payne again preferred to Anthony Horgan on the left wing for Munster, and scrum-half Peter Richards returning from England Sevens duty to take his place on the bench in place of Harvey Biljon.

Added Dallaglio: "The standard now is comparable to international level.

"Just look at the quality of the players in both teams. They're packed full of internationals."