By ChrisC
September 4 2011

I was doing a bit of initial research by looking at Wasps’ squad for this year and their excellent scrum half Nic Berry caught my eye.

I immediately thought “Isn’t it wonderful that he’s made a new career for himself after all those years in EastEnders, Harbour Lights and  playing Constable Nick Rowan in the long running ITV series Heartbeat”,  daft I know but it just amused me or to paraphrase Benny Hill’s 1971 Christmas number one hit; “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)” – “...it tickled old Chris...” and of course that took me to the eponymous theme song of the series which Nick Berry recorded in 1992, it got to #2 in the charts and was previously a minor hit for the incomparable Buddy Holly but which ironically for him only managed #30 in the UK back in 1960. 

I just loved Buddy Holly; with “True Love Ways” for me being one of the loveliest songs released.  It was a tribute to his wife; Maria Elena, and I can just imagine the young Buddy writing it from the heart – it shows – it’s authentic.  When Buddy died in a plane crash in February 1959, having taken the seat, on the ill fated flight, of his friend and colleague from the Crickets; Waylon Jennings,

 I was just a young shaver of a lad at the time discovering Rock & Roll, girls and rugby and that the storage of cycles was a secondary and unimportant use of bike sheds! 

Buddy Holly was an inspirational figure in the forming of Rock & Roll with performers from the Beatles to Elton John citing him as their inspiration, his music and the genre to which he was so important is a backing track to my teenage years and those of many post Second World War Baby Boomers. 

I saw the musical “Buddy – The Musical” and while the songs were great it didn’t really catch the mood somehow.  I actually preferred “Jersey Boys”, the story of the Four Seasons, although to be fair I saw “Buddy” at a theatre in Oxford with an English cast playing Americans while I saw Jersey Boys with the original New York cast at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, so that may have had something to do with it! 

That brings me to rugby (quiet at the back and stop those calls of “at last”). 

In spite of all the problems of player absences, rule changes, financing and seemingly myriad other issues that occur from time to time, and in some cases pervade it, the Premiership remains the heartbeat of rugby union. 

Elsewhere only France’s Top 14 is of equal stature with the ersatz Magners, now called something to do with Robocop , with its contrived provinces and the strange Super 15 and its equally contrived franchises,  even if the pundits are incontinent with delight at the so called spectacle of the self aggrandising Super 15, which to me is actually akin to the story of the King’s New Clothes, it lacks substance, gravitas, meaning, light and shade, for me it’s rather like watching rugby league. 

They’re like “Buddy – The Musical” for me, the Super 15, the Robocop and the Premiership Play-offs, they are false, horribly contrived and manufactured, lacking the integrity of the Premiership and the Top 14 – well the league bits anyway.  

It’s good therefore to have the league back and with it fixtures against the likes of Wasps and last week; Exeter. 

Both are true rugby clubs, of course Wasps have been somewhat peripatetic since being formed in 1867 following a bit of a falling out amongst the members at Hampstead Football Club, which was formed the previous year, leading to the opposing factions forming Wasps and Harlequins with both clubs amongst the founder members of the RFU,  although at the inaugural meeting the representative from Wasps didn’t turn up, seemingly he went to the wrong place on the wrong day or another story is that he got drunk and couldn’t get to the correct venue, maybe it was  just a wet night and he decided to go for a pizza instead.  Who knows, but Wasps is a proper club with heritage and achievement in its DNA. 

Last Saturday Tigers were determined to play fast and loose in the first half against the Chiefs and it is rarely a good idea in the first match of the season to try and play too much rugby until match acclimatisation kicks in and this, with a porous and disorganised defensive display, saw them go in at half time eight points adrift of the visitors by 23 points to 15, with Waldrom and Morris crossing the line for Tigers.  After the break the home defence was again shoddy and things looked grim until Morris scored a second try at the cost of the outstanding Waldrom leaving the pitch injured.  Mr Wigglesworth awarded three surreal penalties which the newly arrived Steenson missed in sympathy with the injustice of it all and in the closing minutes Ford missed two dropped goals and a long distance penalty was eschewed by Twelevetrees and Tigers’ fate was sealed but in fairness Exeter were worth their famous victory. 

Wasps are little affected by the World Cup with just three of the number missing; new signing from Leeds; Steve Thompson and Joe Simpson who has at long last got his chance, both are with England of course, while Zak Taulafo is away with Samoa, so Wasps must be amongst those clubs looking to capitalise on the clubs stricken with call ups in this early season period. 

Activity in the closed season was in balance down at High Wycombe but they did say goodbye to some very good players; Dave Walder, Ben Jacobs, Steve Kefu, Serge Betsen, Mark van Gisbergen, David Lemi, Marty Veale and Dan Ward-Smith all jumping ship for one reason or another however on the evidence of their win against Saracens on Saturday, in another contrived event; the “Double Header”,  the new signings have been sagaciously made by the new boss; Dai Young,  late of Cardiff Blues, who I must say I rather like and with his compatriot Paul Turner from Newport Dragons they have the makings of a good team. 

They clearly did their homework on Saracens, who, in spite of World Cup call ups, were able to field a side much as would be expected anyway with normal rotation, and worked out how to stop them.  

Saracens took up where they left off last term playing their stultifying pod system which, if usually effective, hardly lifts the rugby soul, however so hide bound are they by their system  that when somebody works out how to play against it, in this case by using an aggressive and very quick blitz defence, they lack the wit or invention to adjust and Wasps, in spite of a scrum that was under enormous pressure, some of it real and some of imagined by the awful J P Doyle, who while he seemed to see every infringement by Wasps and some that were a figment of his imagination, he missed so many by Saracens as to suspend reality, got a well deserved win. 

Wasps front row were under the cosh against Saracens although it stabilised when Payne was belatedly replaced by new boy; Jérémy Castex fresh out of the box from Narbonne.  Tigers own new boy Kieran Brookes did not have the dream start that he would have wanted and I rather think that Bucknall might get a run out next week, otherwise there will be nothing in the scrummaging between the sides and Webber and Broster were admirably mobile and assured in the loose with Broster making one break up field that a fly half would have been proud of, he just needs to work on that chip kick! 

Following the arrival of the excellent ex Tiger and twice a Springbok; Marco Wentzl from Leeds Wasps perennial line out problems seemed to have been resolved as they dominated Saracens who last year were amongst the best operators in the business.  Another strong performer at the line out last term, after early season problems, were Tigers but Exeter disrupted them horribly and unless the oracle can be worked then I see Skivington and Slater having their work cut out against Wentzl and the evergreen Richard Birkett who has at last got somebody and something to work with after all this time. 

In the breakaways Jonathan Poff, signed from Crusaders and so recently arrived that I’m sure I saw his bag of Duty Free in the dugout, was absolutely superb, a genuine open side, running stealing, tackling – superb.  He was joined by young Joe Launchbury on the blind side, usually a lock, he looked a very accomplished flanker and made one kick ahead and tackle on de Kock that earned his side a five metre scrum from which, due their travails, they were unable to capitalise.  Skipper John Hart went off just before half time to be replaced by the 18 year old Billy Vunipola, boy what a player this kid is!  He’s a fearsome runner, stays on his feet, odd loads, tackles like a tank, a real prospect. 

For Tigers Thomas Waldrom was one of the few players to come out of Saturday’s encounter with any credit, scoring one try and making the other two for Niall Morris, he left with a groin injury on which the prognosis is unknown as I write this but Tigers will have everything crossed that he’s fit to travel to Adams Park.  In truth Salvi and Mafi in particular, who from the commentary sounds to have made some nice sorties, were so often on the back foot they must take some credit for keeping Exeter bottled up as much as they did but they will have a torrid time with the Wasps’ breakaways if the hosts perform as they did against the self styled Saracens’ “Wolf Pack”. 

Aside from some opportunity at the scrum I see the Wasps pack getting the better of things on the basis of last Saturday and if Waldrom’s dynamism is missing then it could be very difficult for the visitors. 

At scrum half Shropshire born young Charlie Davies made his first Premiership start when filling in for Joe Simpson with the aforesaid Nic Berry on the bench.  Davies did a competent if unspectacular job but doesn’t have the pace of Berry which may well have been useful in further unsettling Saracens. 

The youngster was in harness with Nicky Robinson, fresh from his spell at Kingsholm and known to Dai Young from his tenure at Cardiff.  Robinson is unpredictable, sometimes he’s calm and unflappable and looks as if he could kick a goal from anywhere at any time, at other times he looks as flaky as distemper and as if he’s never kicked a ball before – Saturday was not a flaky day – he was excellent and dealt with everything in a calm assured manner showing all his skill and innate intelligence.  

Tigers, based on pre season performances, started with James Grindal, also presumably to support young George Ford who was pressed into service at fly half.  It was all a bit stolid from Grindal though, who kicked little and kept the ball in hand even though circumstances dictated otherwise.  The whole Tigers’ effort seemed to get more urgency and momentum once Micky Young made his appearance and, if fit, I’d like to see Staunton back at #10 with Micky Young at scrum half where his pace and sniping will be useful against Wasps while Staunton’s calm assurance will be welcome. 

 Ford did nothing much wrong, although with Tigers pressing hard toward the end his lack of maturity persuaded him to try two speculative, but unsuccessful, drop goals when not properly set up and keeping the pressure on the Exeter defence would have been a better option for they could, in spite of a controlled and disciplined defensive performance, have cracked and given a penalty if not a try, we’ll never know as the chances were wasted. 

If the Grindal and Ford combination is sustained then the experienced Robinson will get the better of things. 

England mysteriously rejected Ricki Flutey in favour of Shontayne Hape and on Saturday Flutey demonstrated how much more he can bring to the inside centre berth than the hapless Hapi.  He tied in the Saracens backs and breakaways and provided a target for his colleagues by staying on his feet and off loading and with another new arrival; Chris Bell, they made an uncompromising defensive wall against which the Saracens battered to no avail.  Flutey and then Bell also showed some deft handling when putting young Wade in for a lovely try. 

Tony Allen punches well above his weight defensively and has the pace and intelligence to capitalise when going forward but he needs quick ball and that’s something he didn’t seem to get against Exeter and if he and Billy Twelvetrees are again reduced to trying to hold back big centres like Naqelevuki and Tatupu last week and Flutey and Bell next then something will give.  The Tigers’ duo need to be on the offensive and that for me points toward Young at scrum half. 

Out wide for Wasps were Varndell and young Christian Wade who looks another fine prospect from the Wasps’ academy, making just his third Premiership start the 20 year old was hungry, looked for work, defended well and is very quick, taking a well set up try.  Varndell did what he does best; score a try when there’s nobody in front of him.  He still refuses to back himself when confronted by a resolute defender and kicks good attacking ball away also he still tends to stay out and wait for the ball whereas Wade goes looking for it and as a consequence made a real nuisance of himself disrupting the Saracens’ preordained defensive pattern and showing that the hardest thing to defend against is raw pace, the thing is Wade looks the full package whereas Varndell, as has always been the case, is a one trick pony – it’s one hell of a trick though. 

Another great signing for Wasps is the classy Hugo Southwell who, were it not for earlier injury, would be in New Zealand with Scotland. On Saturday’s display he’s none the worse for his sojourn  to La Belle Paris and I bet he’s pleased not to have to wear those silly pink shirts.  Southwell is one of those players who always seems to have bags of time and plays with an elegance that’s lovely to watch, authentic class. 

Niall Morris, the latest acquisition from Tigers’ Irish feeder club; Leinster, scored two tries coming from excellent approach work by Waldrom but the Irishman is a worry defensively and I hope that Matthew Tait recovers from the tweak that saw him replaced ahead of kick off as Tigers need his pace and he has always been a decent defender.  Matt Smith did what he does and did it well insofar as he got a chance and for Hamilton ditto really. 

Wasps look a well balanced outfit but they need to sort out that front row. 

I have to admit I don’t have a good feeling about the visit to Adams Park.  The Tigers look sorely stretched with, at the last count, seventeen players missing on international duty and with injury and with a bench that is devoid of strength and ability to change the course of a match, Micky Young excepted. 

If Tigers can get some measure of advantage at the scrum then they may have a chance but on balance it’s more likely to be a pointless outing to High Wycombe.