By Leipziger
February 28 2008

Friday Night Live and a sell-out crowd come to Kingston Park this Friday night as we renew hostilities with London Wasps who beat us twice in High Wycombe before Christmas. Wasps, the current European champions, are looking to become the first team holding that status to win in the North East.

Over the past ten years, Bath, Northampton, Leicester twice and Wasps themselves have all failed to defeat us at home the season after winning the Heineken Cup, however with Dave Walder returning to KP for the second time and both teams having their internationals available as the Six Nations takes a break, all is set for a classic match under the lights.

 

Just over a year ago, the corresponding match was played on the Friday night ahead of an international weekend, but Jamie Noon was in the side inspired by Matthew Burke and Loki Crichton to a 37-11 victory, the tries coming from Burke, Noon, Matt Thompson, Mark Mayerhofler and Joe McDonnell, Chopstix converting three and adding two penalties.

 

On his first return north, Dave Walder hit two penalties but they and Mark McMillan’s try failed to dissuade Lawrence “Where’s your wig?” Dallaglio from writing an open letter to all involved with the Pests to apologise for the performance.  Hopefully we will see another such letter next week.

 

That game attracted 9,665 fans, and if Friday night’s game is not already a sell-out by the time you read this, get your tickets ASAP!

 

So yes, we lost to Wasps in November and December in league and cup, but going into this game lets not forget we have three successive wins against them at home since then!

 

With all of our England backs back in the team, Steve Jones, Alex Tait and Tom Dillon drop out of the 22 whilst Ollie Phillips is on the bench.  Joe McDonnell is out with him unable to play with Carl Hayman, and Brent Wilson starts pushing Geoff Parling to the second row.

 15 Mathew Tait
14 Tom May
13 Jamie Noon
12 Toby Flood
11 John Rudd
10 Jonny Wilkinson
9 Lee Dickson
1 Jon Golding
2 Matt Thompson
3 Carl Hayman
4 Geoff Parling
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Brent Wilson
7 Ben Woods
8 Phil Dowson (captain)

Replacements:
16 Ross Batty
17 David Wilson
18 Russell Winter
19 Tim Swinson
20 James Grindal
21 Tim Visser
22 Ollie Phillips Wasps of course also have their England boys back, noticeably Danny Cipriani, Paul Sackey, Tim Payne, national captain Phil Vickery and Simon Shaw, along with Ireland 9 Eoin Reddan who is keeping Peter Stringer out of the national team.  Amongst other, former England internationals in the squad are Fraser Waters, Tom Palmer and Tom Palmer, with Dave Walder and Mark van Gisbergen. Josh Lewsey and Joe Worsley have both played for England recently, whilst James Haskell and Tom Rees is injured, and Tom Voyce and Riki Flutey are also missing. Former France captain Raphael Ibanez is the hooker having just signed a new contract at Adams Park, whilst Lawrence Dallaglio captains Wasps, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him to KP. 15 Josh Lewsey
14 Paul Sackey
13 Fraser Waters
12 Dominic Waldouck
11 David Doherty
10 Danny Cipriani
9 Eoin Reddan
1 Tim Payne
2 Raphael Ibanez
3 Phil Vickery
4 Simon Shaw
5 Tom Palmer
6 John Hart
7 Joe Worsley
8 Lawrence Dallaglio

16 Joe Ward
17 Tom French
18 Dan Leo
19 Rob Webber
20 Mark McMillan
21 Dave Walder
22 Mark Van Gisbergen