At the dog-end of what has been a sobering season for the Wasps faithful, we can reflect on how things could possibly have been worse. Bristol certainly did not start the season expecting to be on the wrong end of quite so many results.

The recent match between the two sides at Adams Park could have gone either way, Wasps edging it through more reliable kicking but Bristol having the moral victory three tries to two. The Bristol performance against Worcester should act as a very clear warning to Wasps that to approach this match with anything less than full commitment, anything less than the best available team on the field, is very much playing with fire and asking for disappointment.

Wasps are chasing the faintest glimmer of HEC qualification for next season, a glimmer that relies on a series of results going, improbably, in their favour. ECC rugby for season 2009/10 is very much more likely. However the results that are under Wasps direct control are the ones they must secure, and see how things fall elsewhere. So once again Wasps take to the field for a must win match, a must win with try bonus point match. The first such bonus point of the season, if it is achieved. This means there can be no room for sentiment or favour in the team selection – the only option is to select the in form and the fit for what will no doubt be a tough contest. That would also mean discounting where players will be playing their rugby next season.

In many respects the forwards pick themselves, the only areas for debate seem to revolve around whether Betsen or Rees should start, and whether Haskell starts or comes from the bench, although Dan Leo may be in the mix too following his recent injury absence.

The backs could prove more contentious, with many of the Wasps faithful clamouring for a starting berth for young talent Joe Simpson in particular. Given the importance of this match if Wasps are to salvage anything from the season, the coaching team can be expected to favour experience in general. Young Joe is likely to figure in the matchday squad if Eoin Reddan has not recovered from his thigh injury sustained at the home leg. If Reddan is fit, then it is likely that he and Robinson will feature in the twenty two. Danny Cipriani is almost certain to start at fly-half, with Jeremy Staunton available on the bench after his Man of the Match performance in the recent A Team match against Gloucester.

The supporters will be keen for another barnstorming performance from retiring perennial favourite Josh Lewsey, whether at full back, wing or centre where he has been effective this season. In fact, he looks every bit the kind of versatile utility back you'd want to take on a challenging tour in the summer.

There is the possibility of re-introduction to the match day squad of long term injured Tom Palmer, after making an appearance off the bench in the A Team match against Gloucester, not to mention the possible returns of the more recently injured Pat Barnard and Phil Vickery. Bolstering the front row would be welcome, as Wasps have been sorely tested in this area in recent contests. The reappearance of Paul Sackey in the matchday squad would also be a fillip to the supporters. At the time of writing, there was no update on the likelihood of a return to action for these players.

Bristol will certainly be motivated to end their home matches of a very disappointing season with a win against the champions (enjoy that moniker for the next few weeks, for then it passes to others, for a while at least). And if the weather is fair, and they can select from their best, we can expect to be asked some very serious questions in our defence. We can equally expect their defence to be resolute against us.

Consider the players that could be lining up for Bristol. The likes of David Lemi, the Arscott brothers, Luke Eves and Dan Ward Smith would be considered assets at any club, presumably why we've signed one of them. Others in their squad could be considered equally worthy of mention by name. We have seen that on their day, Bristol can perform very well. The three danger men that have to be effectively cancelled out of the game are Luke Arscott, David Lemi and Dan Ward Smith. These are the three that seem to encapsulate Bristol's greatest attacking threats, both directly and by creating space and opportunities for others to feed from.

The Wasps camp will no doubt have noted that we have also seen a degree of inconsistency over the season from Bristol, and be seeking ways of exploiting this and forcing Bristol onto playing off the back foot. Some of their supporters may express the view that Bristol have been entirely consistent all season, consistently not good enough or words to that effect. This inconsistency (or consistency if you will) seems to me to be the basis of their downfall, and is echoed to a worrying degree by Wasps performances this season too.

So what can the travelling Waspie expect if heading West for this fixture? A decent pastie (recent scares in Bristol about a change in the source of this local delicacy appear to have been exaggerated) and a decent pint of cider (first time I recall Blackthorn achieving that accolade), a warm West Country welcome, some sharp banter and a match played on a pitch forecast to have benefited from a week long watering, in mild, cloudy but probably dry conditions. Perhaps most of all though, potentially the last opportunity to enjoy rugby at the Mem, for who knows what the future holds for the home of senior rugby in Bristol?

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