Young: Bath will be a very different test to Harlequins

Dai Young is looking forward to London Wasp's match against Bath. Photo credit: Mike Egerton/EMPICS

by Nick Wright Thursday, September 6, 2012
7:30 AM

London Wasps director of rugby Dai Young is expecting a tough physical battle when his side travel to Bath on Saturday.

After their painful 42-40 loss to Harlequins in last weekend’s curtain-raising Aviva Premiership double header at Twickenham, Young is hoping to make amends against Bath.

“I think this is a completely different challenge for us,” said Young.

“Quins certainly play a lot of rugby but Bath will basically roll their sleeves up and come straight at us.”

Wasps’ explosive first 55 minutes against Quins saw them race into a 40-13 lead but Young admits they may have to compromise their expansive style if they are to get a result against Bath.

“I think people can see that we have got the quality, that we can play some attractive rugby, but we have to be prepared to roll our sleeves up and meet fire with fire,” he explained.

“We have to earn the right to play the rugby that we want to play down there.

“In order to do that we certainly have to match them physically.

“There will be a massive aerial attack, we expect them to test us in the air.

“So we have to show the courage to get up and take those balls.

“If we can match their physicality I’m sure we can get the result that we want.

“I’m really looking forward to it. It will be a measure of how much we’ve got in our chest as well as in our hands.”

Young also confirmed that Wasps have injury doubts over Andrea Masi, Nic Berry, Lee Thomas and Steve Jones.