Upward mobility the aim for Aironi

AIRONI bring their debut season in the Magners League to a close with two big challenges in the guise of Leinster and the Ospreys.

But the basement side have one key advantage — they’re at home and they’re getting better with every game.

“They will both be extremely tough matches, against two teams who are still looking for a spot in the playoffs,” said former Italy captain Marco Bortolami. “But playing at our house, we must try till the end to catch up a great result.”

Leinster need the victory and a bonus point to keep up their challenge for a home semi-final and Bortolami is expecting the visitors to throw everything at them.

“Even if they would rest some internationals, they still remains a high quality team with great players that plays a very good rugby. We must find in ourselves every strength to face up Leinster”.

The defensive bonus point conquered in Dublin two months ago could be a starting point.

“That game gave us a lot of confidence, but it was also one of our top performances. It will not be easy to repeat, but we are ready to do it again.

“But I think Leinster will arrive with the knife between the teeth because they know we could put on the pitch a great game. It will be vital for us to be very shrewd to defend the first two to three phases, otherwise becomes very hard to stop their quality backs.”

Meanwhile, Andy Powell’s Wasps future remains uncertain as the Aviva Premiership club continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a London pub brawl that involved their Wales international.

Wasps today lifted a club suspension on Powell’s team-mate, England prop Tim Payne, less than 48 hours after imposing it. But their probe into a Monday night incident at the Walkabout pub in Shepherds Bush is ongoing, and Powell remains suspended.

Powell said he had been knocked unconscious and required stitches in a head wound after what he claimed was “a bit of banter” with football fans escalated into a fight.

The fact that Powell chose to reveal such information to a national newspaper though is understood to have infuriated senior Wasps management.

In their latest statement on the matter, Wasps said: “London Wasps have concluded an initial investigation into an incident involving Andy Powell and Tim Payne earlier this week, for which both players were suspended from the club.

“Based on the club’s initial findings, Tim Payne’s suspension has now been lifted.

“The investigation involving Andy Powell will continue and the player will remain under suspension until this has concluded. Until this investigation has been concluded, the club will make no further comment.”

The Wasps board’s investigation will include studying a copy of CCTV footage from the pub, which should give them a clearer picture of how events unfolded.