With all the attention fixed firmly elsewhere with Northampton fans planning trips to Oxford and Toulouse and the media brouhaha following Budge's recent retirement form International action, Saints are in danger of losing focus this weekend. That could be disastrous as the multi-talented Wasps lying one place higher in the  Zurich premiership Table will take full advantage of any loss of concentration.

The form lines going into the game are hard to judge with Wasps last five league matches starting with an away loss at Harlequins, the a home loss to Sale, they then went up to Headingley to beat this years surprise package Leeds. This excellent result was followed up by a home victory against Leicester and then a narrow defeat at Kingsholm. Meanwhile in the cup competitions Wasps were dumped out of the Powergen by Bath but beat Stade Francais twice on successive weekends to reach the semi finals of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup. The club playing in Wycombe, who once marketed themselves as London's only true representative, are proving difficult to evaluate.

Saints form has also been infuriatingly erratic. Let's hope Smudger can push the right motivation buttons and get the Saints team that beat Tigers away or Biarritz at home rather than the team that capitulated to London Irish.

I predict there could be one or four outcomes. Firstly the game could be a dull affair with the match decided on who misses the least kicks. Or of course it could be a pulsating affair high on drama, skill or commitment, won by the team who gets possession last. Then of course one of the teams might not bother to turn up and the other could run off with five points to scamper up the claustrophobic table. Right well I'm off down the chemist to get some ointment for these fence splinters.

What is certain is that both teams are desperate to win this game as the push for the top three finish really hots up. Wasps think they owe Saints one after the loss at FG earlier and Saints will be keen to throw off the 'lucky' tag that ill-informed pundits have been throwing around recently. Bring it on!

Team News

The 'teak-hard' Andrew Blowers is again missing from the Saints line up and is replaced by Grant Seely. Official sources state that he has a stomach bug. Steve Thompson and Steve Williamsreturning to the starting line up are the other changes from side that beat Bath.

Wasps name an uncahnged starting line up for the third match in a row but welcome Josh Lewsey back to the bench after recent hamstring problems. That is of course if they are not playing silly beggars again.

Saints
15 NICK BEAL
14 BRUCE REIHANA
13 PETER JORGENSEN
12 JOHN LESLIE (capt)
11 BEN COHEN
10 PAUL GRAYSON
9 MATT DAWSON
1 TOM SMITH
2 STEVE THOMPSON
3 MATT STEWART
4 Matt Lord
5 STEVE WILLIAMS
6 Grant Seely
7 BUDGE POUNTNEY
8 MARK CONNORS

Replacements:
16 Dan Richmond
17 Chris Budgen
18 Rob Hunter
19 Mark Soden
20 Ian Vass
21 James Brooks
22 Mark Tucker


Wasps
15 Mark Van Gisbergen
14 John Rudd
13 Fraser Waters
12 Stuart Abbott
11 Kenny Logan
10 Alex King
9 Rob Howley

1 Craig Dowd
2 Trevor Leota
3 Will Green
4 Simon Shaw
5 Richard Birkett
6 Joe Worsley
7 Paul Volley
8 Lawrence Dallaglio (Capt)

16 Martyn Wood
17 Phil Greening
18 Josh Lewsey
19 Mark Denney or Ayoola Erinle
20 Mark Lock
21 Peter Scrivener
22 Andy Kershaw

Earlier this Season
COYSDC match report (apparently I didn't think much of Spreaders that day, what a fickle so and so I am!!!)
match reactions
Joe's memories of the day
Drunken Wasps Match Report



Last Season

Honours were even with both sides recording a home win:
Saints 23 Wasps 10
Annes Wasp Stats
Wasps Game, Fans View
MOTM
Wasps 17 Saints 6
Fans View
MOTM

History
Several interesting encounters over the last few years. In 1997 Wasps won their last title by beating the Saints at the Gardens.
Three years ago there was the epic Heineken Cup QF when Saints looked down and out but came back to clinch the tie and ultimately the Cup.

Wasps gained their revenge in the Tetleys Bitter Cup at Twickenham after Keith Barwell had been shamelessly set up by Sky TV. There was also the league game at Loftus Road where Saints held out on their line to deny Wasps the victory and the return leg which a second string side made Dallaglio's men fight every inch of the way for the three points four days before the aforementioned Tetley Final.

If you're going to the Game...
Check out Waspies guide to the Addams Family Park

and wrap up warm because...... Wycombe weather

If you can't make it...

There's live commentary on BBC Radio Northampton or live on the Internet via the Official site.
Live audio link

ANNE O’RACKS STATS

  Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
 Played                                                 20
 London Wasps Won                           11 55.0%
 Northampton Saints Won                     8  40.0%
 Drawn                                                 1 5.0%
 Biggest Win for London Wasps            54 - 12              09 May 2000
 Biggest Win for Northampton Saints     34 - 20              05 Oct 2002
 
 London Wasps top try scorer vs Northampton Saints Kenny Logan 5 tries
 London Wasps top points scorer vs Northampton Saints Kenny Logan 77 points
 Northampton Saints top try scorer vs London Wasps Nick Beal 2 tries
 Northampton Saints top points scorer vs London Wasps Paul Grayson 132 points
 

  Previous Meetings
         
05 Oct  2002 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 34-20 Franklin's Gardens
04 May 2002 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 6 - 17 Loftus Road
08 Dec 2001 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 23 - 10 Franklin's
Season: 2000-01
30 Dec 2000 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 18 - 21 Franklin's
01 Oct 2000 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 17 - 53 Loftus Rd
Season: 1999-00
09 May 2000 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 12 - 54 Franklin's
29 Dec 1999 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 21 - 15 Loftus Rd
Season: 1998-99
13 Apr 1999 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 24 - 15 Loftus Rd
07 Nov 1998 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 26 - 21 Franklin's
Season: 1997-98
26 Apr 1998 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 15 - 31 Loftus Rd
27 Dec 1997 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 18 - 10 Franklin's
Season: 1996-97
26 Apr 1997 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 15 - 26 Franklin's
28 Dec 1996 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 13 - 18 Loftus Rd
Season: 1994-95
22 Apr 1995 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 19 - 13 Franklin's
29 Oct 1994 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 21 - 27 Sudbury
Season: 1993-94
23 Apr 1994 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 11 - 24 Sudbury
04 Dec 1993 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 15 - 17 Franklin's
Season: 1992-93
27 Mar 1993 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 12 - 20 Sudbury
Season: 1991-92
28 Mar 1992 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 28 - 15 Franklin's
Season: 1990-91
23 Mar 1991 Northampton Saints vs London Wasps 21 - 21 Sudbury