#360view: Wasps may deliver a sting in the tail in quarter-finals

Martyn Thomas 10:20 02/04/2015
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  • Travelling with hope: James Haskell (c) is driving Wasps forward.

    Few Wasps fans will travel to the south of France this weekend expecting to see their side beat Toulon and book their place in the European Champions Cup semi-finals.

    After all they are facing the winners of the previous two European Cups having scraped into the quarter-finals ranked seventh of the remaining eight teams. Toulon are also unbeaten at home in top-tier continental competition and have dazzled in the tournament so far, heading the team stats for most points (181), off-loads (112) and carries (765).

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    Wasps, though, have made a habit of exceeding expectations on the continent this season. Dai Young’s men only snuck into the group stage via a play-off win against Stade Francais, and once there qualified for the last eight despite losing their first two matches.

    That said, the 2004 and 2007 winners will need to play out of their skins at the Stade Mayol on Sunday to stand any chance of making the last four. Defence will be key, and Young will take heart from the fact that his side have completed more tackles than any other team in the competition this season.

    The loss of Nathan Hughes is a huge blow for the English club. And although James Haskell is in the form of his life, it looks to have given their hosts the edge in the key back-row battle.

    Toulon are, of course, deserved favourites but playing without the pressure of expectation could play into Wasps’ hand as they chase another upset.

    Whoever wins in Toulon will face the victor of Leinster’s battle with Bath at the Aviva Stadium, which looks like the most open tie of the round. It should be an enthralling contest, and a lot will depend on whether the returning Six Nations stars on both sides – including Jamie Heaslip, Sean O’Brien, George Ford and Jonathan Joseph – are refreshed or rusty.

    On the other side of the draw, Clermont should have too much against Aviva Premiership leaders, Northampton, especially at home and with their visitors missing George North.

    Jamie Heaslip (L) and Jonathan Joseph (R).

    Clermont have cantered through to this stage and have won their last 12 home games in the competition. The only side to beat them in Pool 1, Saracens, will be hoping to build on their success at Wembley last Saturday by preventing an all-French semi-final.

    Sarries have struggled on the road against top sides this season though, and if Racing Metro put in the kind of performance they did at Northampton in January, they will ease through.

    Jamie Roberts was immense that day, and with Jonathan Sexton alongside him the French side will fancy their chances. Whatever happens though, it promises to be a thrilling weekend.

    Head-scratching Nathan Hughes decision 

    The RFU’s decision to ban Nathan Hughes for three weeks following the incident that left George North unconscious last Friday has been met with outrage from both current and former players – and it is not hard to see why.

    Although no one wants to see players hurt in the way that North was at Franklin’s Gardens, when handing out such severe punishments a degree of intent must surely be proved.

    Fall guy: Nathan Hughes.

    It has been accepted that Hughes did not intentionally collide with the winger, with the RFU’s disciplinary judgement stating on more than one occasion that: “Mr Hughes did not intend to strike the Northampton Saints 11 (North)”.

    The Wasps player has effectively been found guilty of being reckless in continuing to run towards the area where North was scoring a try.

    That a player can incur a ban despite it being accepted that it was an accident does not sit well, and several more views of the incident online have not changed my mind.

    Indeed let’s not forget that Wasps were leading at the time of the incident, and apart from going on to lose comfortably, they are now without one of their best players for the biggest game of their season, and beyond.

    Hughes is somewhat fortunate he had a previously clean disciplinary record. The next player might not be so lucky.

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