Wasps stung by 'favourites' tag

Lawrence Dallaglio tonight played down Wasps’ Heineken Cup final favourites tag as the English champions prepared for an epic European showdown with French giants Toulouse.

Wasps will go into battle at Twickenham on Sunday bidding to become the fourth English European champions after Bath, Northampton and Leicester.

Standing in their way though, are a team rich on Heineken Cup pedigree on the scent of a tournament record.

No team has ever won the prestigious trophy three times, but defending champions Toulouse will achieve that feat if they sting Wasps in front of an anticipated sell-out 74,000 crowd.

The French media have installed Wasps as firm favourites, given their effective home advantage and some patchy French Championship form shown by Toulouse, including a surprise home defeat against Stade Francais last weekend.

England and Wasps’ captain Dallaglio though, is under no illusions about what awaits his team when they look to complete the first leg of a possible European and domestic trophy double.

“None of us care who are favourites, we are just very excited about the match,” Dallaglio said.

“The occasion itself and the game will bring out the best in both teams,” he added.

Wasps received a major boost today when their England squad centre Fraser Waters was declared fit.

Waters limped off during the 57-20 Zurich Premiership play-off victory over Northampton last Sunday, and was rated only a 50-50 prospect earlier this week, but he trained fully today and will forge his usual midfield partnership with Stuart Abbott.

“There are a lot of talented centres in the Premiership, and Fraser has been one of the top performers in our league over the past three or four years,” Dallaglio said.

“His consistency has been rewarded with an England tour place next month, and he has been one of the stand-outs in our back line. He takes control of things in attack and defence, and it is a big plus that he was able to train full-on today.

“It has given a big lift for us all.”

Wasps rugby director Warren Gatland had no hesitation in naming the same side that thumped Northampton once Waters was given the green light.

Gatland’s side includes seven players who will travel to New Zealand and Australia with England next month, including the entire three-quarter unit of Waters, Abbott and wings Josh Lewsey and Tom Voyce.

Full-back Mark Van Gisbergen is certain to relish his opportunity on the big stage, and there will be a few interested parties in his performance, including England boss Clive Woodward.

New Zealander Van Gisbergen, who qualifies for England on residency grounds in September next year, has enjoyed an outstanding campaign and could well have a future with the world champions.

Gatland will again entrust the loose head prop position to Tim Payne, who has proved a quality deputy during the past few weeks for injured All Black Craig Dowd.

Toulouse, meanwhile, include Irish international flanker Trevor Brennan in the second row, with coach Guy Noves opting for a half-back combination of young French starlet Frederic Michalak and the experienced Yann Delaigue.

As a result, French Six Nations key figure Jean-Baptiste Elissalde finds himself on the bench.

Despite Toulouse’s recent domestic struggles, Gatland expects a major test for his team this weekend.

“I can’t see too many weaknesses in their side,” he admitted.

“Their strength is their ability to turn a game at any stage, while they have fantastic depth in talent, especially on the bench through the likes of hooker Yannick Bru and back-row forward Isitolo Maka.”

Despite Wasps facing a Zurich Premiership final against Bath at Twickenham tomorrow week, Gatland insists that collective thoughts have not strayed beyond Sunday’s encounter.

“The victory over Northampton last week was very important to us to gain some momentum after we had lost to Gloucester and Leicester,” he said.

“We lacked a little bit of confidence in the first 20 minutes of the Northampton game, but once we got things going, we played very well.

“Our full focus has been on Toulouse – there has not been one mention of the Bath match.”

Wasps are in uncharted territory as far as the Heineken Cup is concerned, having already comfortably eclipsed their previous best quarter-final showing in the tournament.

And their scalps in this season’s competition, notably Munster in a pulsating Dublin semi-final and away to Perpignan when they had to win to secure a place among the last eight, confirms that Dallaglio and company relish the big occasion with pressure at its most intense.