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GP Semi Final - London Wasps vs Bath Rugby

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getofmeland

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<div align="center">London Wasps vs Bath Rugby

Bath have to travel to Adams Park to take on London Wasps in the first of the Semi Finals, having beaten Wasps at the Rec this season and then visited Adams Park with a weakened side in the Winter, this will prove an interesting game. Will Bath be able to take their attacking play to Wasps and Win? Will Wasps make another Final in Twickenham and do what was thought as a dream back in December...

One thing which will be hanging in the Bath Fan's minds is the fate of two key players, whether they will be fit or not, if Stevens and Mears are unavailable for this game then that will be huge morale boost to London Wasps.

Wasps have been conceding a large amount of points recently and have also suffered a defeat in their last game to Gloucester, which will obviously prove to be something that will hang in Wasps mind who usually have a rather resiliant defence.

So Come on lets hear your predictions and thoughts for this Game.
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Have to beel slightly sorry for Bath, they play great rugby all year then those strolling minstrels come along and bugger it all up for them.

As Wasps are the best non-international side in the world now and will be the eventual champions, my money is on them.
 
Have to beel slightly sorry for Bath, they play great rugby all year then those strolling minstrels come along and bugger it all up for them.

As Wasps are the best non-international side in the world now and will be the eventual champions, my money is on them.
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Hard to disagree with that Teh Mite but we`ve got Qera this season.
 
Sackey A Doubt for Semi Final!

England wing Paul Sackey could miss Wasps' Guinness Premiership semi-final play-off with Bath on Sunday after damaging his right knee against Leeds.

Sackey was forced off after 18 minutes of Saturday's win at Headingley and left the ground on crutches.

"I'm a quick healer," he said afterwards. "It's going to be all right. I'm feeling positive about it.

"If I am not OK for the semi-final, I hope it will be right for the final and I will be able to play in that."
 
As Wasps are the best non-international side in the world now and will be the eventual champions, my money is on them. [/b]

I think the Crusaders might have something to say about that!
 
Sackey A Doubt for Semi Final!

England wing Paul Sackey could miss Wasps' Guinness Premiership semi-final play-off with Bath on Sunday after damaging his right knee against Leeds.

Sackey was forced off after 18 minutes of Saturday's win at Headingley and left the ground on crutches.

"I'm a quick healer," he said afterwards. "It's going to be all right. I'm feeling positive about it.

"If I am not OK for the semi-final, I hope it will be right for the final and I will be able to play in that."
[/b]


Oh ********!
Hope he makes it!
 
<div class='quotemain'>As Wasps are the best non-international side in the world now and will be the eventual champions, my money is on them. [/b]

I think the Crusaders might have something to say about that!
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And I think the Wasps would rebut after putting the sixth try past them.
 
Ultimately the best club side in the world is always going to be from New Zealand because they have so many great players. Wasps on their day though are the best NH club side, the first half against Clermont at home was amazing.
 
Just because you have the best players it doesn't mean you have the best team... Wasps may not have HUGE names in Rugby but they do have a great Team spirit, which accounts for a lot...
 
It's going to be a tough game for Bath especially if Stevens and Mears aren't fit, but I would love it if we won.
 
Bath will start as undderdogs but if they front up as they did at Gloucester they will have a good chance of pulling it off. They need to keep the ball in hand and force Wasps into mistakes. The problem against Glaws was Bath went into their shell a little in the second half and decided to kick for position rather than hammer home their advantage in terms of possession.
 
Wasps v Bath (Sun)

GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP SEMI-FINAL: WASPS v BATH

Date:
Sunday, 18 May Kick-off: 1400 BST Venue: Adams Park
Coverage: Commentary on BBC local radio and online; live scores on BBC Sport website

England wing Paul Sackey could miss Wasps' Guinness Premiership semi-final play-off with Bath on Sunday after damaging his right knee against Leeds.

Sackey was forced off after 18 minutes of Saturday's win at Headingley and left the ground on crutches.

Bath head coach Steve Meehan says prop Matt Stevens and hooker Lee Mears should be available despite picking up injuries at Gloucester last week.

Prop David Barnes is back from injury and pushing for a recall at Adams Park.

"He lets you know that he's up for selection very early in the week so that's a good thing," said Meehan.

Sackey maintained he would make a swift recovery after Wasps' game at Leeds.

"I'm a quick healer," he said. "It's going to be all right. I'm feeling positive about it.

"If I am not OK for the semi-final, I hope it will be right for the final and I will be able to play in that."

Bath will have to make history if they are to progress to the final at Twickenham on 31 May. No side has ever won an away semi-final in the five seasons since the play-offs were introduced in 2003, when Wasps won the first of three successive ***les, despite never finishing top of the table.

But captain Steve Borthwick, who will also lead England on their tour to New Zealand next month, believes Bath can reverse that trend, despite home and away league defeats to Wasps this season.

Away game spurs us on - Meehan

"I have heard some of the Wasps boys talking in the media about how they feel this is their strongest stage of the season," he said.

"We know we are in for a big contest, but we have won there in the past and we must do so again this time - there is no tomorrow, it is now, and we are into the knockout stages."

Bath head coach Steve Meehan feels his side will bounce back from their disappointment of missing out on home advantage in the play-offs by losing 8-6 at Gloucester last week.

"If anything it's steeled the guys, got them all working hard and closer together," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"The challenge of going to Adams Park and playing Wasps in a semi-final from a sportsman's point of view is a terrific challenge to have.

"They've been at the top of Europe and the top of England for the last five or six years so if we're to go on and win this Premiership, if we get the chance to knock off Wasps on the way through that'd be great.

"I think that whoever wins it might have to win it in the 78th or 79th minute. I expect it to be a very physical challenge from both sides and we should see some rugby played, defences will be tough and perhaps it'll be the man in the middle who is under most pressure.

"But Chris White's a referee who's been around for many years and has had a lot of experience at the top end of the game."

Wasps: J Lewsey; P Sackey, F Waters, R Flutey, T Voyce; D Cipriani, E Reddan; T Payne, R Ibanez, P Barnard, S Shaw, T Palmer, J Haskell, T Rees, L Dallaglio (capt). Replacements: (from) J Ward, T French, R Birkett, J Worsley, J Hart, M McMillan, J Staunton, D Waldouck, M Van Gisbergen.

Bath: J Maddock; A Higgins, A Crockett, O Barkley, M Banahan; B James, M Claassens; D Barnes, L Mears, M Stevens, S Borthwick (capt), D Grewcock, J Faamatuainu, M Lipman, D Browne. Replacements: P Dixon, D Bell, P Short, C Goodman, M Baxter, S Berne, N Abendanon.

Referee: Chris White (RFU)
 
<strike>A biased Bath fan</strike> Stuart Barnes and Dewi Morris both think that Bath will win; they said so on The Rugby Club. I can't see it happening though, especially at Adams Park. Wasps by 10, + or - 3 points.
 
The fitness of Mears & Stevens is what this match may hinge on, they're Bath's main line breakers in attack, and are obviously essential to securing set-play ball.

If both are fit I can see Bath pulling a surprise win off. The match against Gloucester was so intense it was untrue, I'm not sure even Wasps can live with that intensity after their HC exploits when they failed to secure the bonus points needed to come through a tough group. IN a tight game can Cipriani & Reddan cope with the physicality of their Springbock opposite numbers?
 
Wasps are favourites, and a very good side peaking at the right time. But Bath have the chance to boss them up front which can be enough to win any game, so i wouldn't write them off. If they play to their best they will win.
 
GET UP DANNY!
Pretty even match so far I reckon, mainly because the people who usually tear up the defense aren't really firing on all cylinders.
 

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