James Haskell’s long-awaited return to top-level rugby following six months on the sidelines lasted just 35 seconds but the England flanker has not yet been ruled out of the European pool game against Toulouse on Saturday. Although Haskell appeared to knock himself out tackling Leicester’s Freddie Burns, the Wasps director of rugby, Dai Young, described his player as “totally fine” and suffering only from embarrassment.
It initially appeared to be no laughing matter when Haskell went to tackle Burns, caught his head on his opponent’s hip and pitched forwards, seemingly unconscious. Happily, he was soon revived and attracting good-natured stick from his team-mates. “He’s had a ribbing [for] the best 35‑second comeback ever,” Young said. “But all jokes aside, he is OK. These things happen. I think he’s just embarrassed. He had the big build-up but, thankfully, he is OK. He apologised and has been having a bit of a laugh with the boys.”
Haskell’s England squad-mate Elliot Daly was also withdrawn late in the game for a head injury assessment following an accidental clash of heads with his team‑mate Jimmy Gopperth but Wasps are confident he will pass all the necessary protocols this week. Daly will certainly be keen to return as swiftly as possible, with Wasps’ back line combining as sweetly as any side in Europe.
Young, even so, was slightly frustrated that his side did not go on to secure a bonus point having stormed into a 19-point lead inside the first half hour. “It’s nice sitting here top of the table and yet still being disappointed with how we are playing,” the former Wales and Lions prop said. “We came flying out of the blocks but we left a lot of points out there in the first half.
“We were trying little chip kicks when we didn’t need to and once you give Leicester a bit of momentum it is hard to snatch it back. We hung on for dear life in the last 10 minutes. They are a proud bunch and never know when they are beaten. We have to salute Leicester and the way they came back but I think we have to look at ourselves.
“There are lots of good things but lots we can improve on as well. Give us quick ball and allow us to play with tempo and we will cause teams problems. We’re a dangerous team off quick ball.”
Leicester, whose losing bonus point means they sit fifth in the Premiership table going into the final two European pool weekends, were understandably heartened with the dramatic second-half fightback that dragged them back to within three points with 20 minutes left.
“I don’t think you could ever question the character of our guys,” said their acting head coach, Aaron Mauger, impressed by the team’s response to the departure of Richard Cockerill, the former director of rugby. “We talked about playing for each other before we got on the bus. I was really proud of the way the guys responded in the second half.
“There was a lot of emotion going around, especially in the first part of the week, but everyone has taken responsibility for the situation. We have lost some good men this season due to our performances and we are all responsible for that.
“I thought they stepped up and to a man they were all outstanding today. They all gave it everything and played with passion and commitment. We thought if we did that we could put Wasps under pressure and we did.”
Mauger even felt his side could have won after their pack had belatedly recaptured the upper hand. “I thought we put ourselves in a situation to win the game,” he said. “There were probably a couple of moments which cost us. We gave their strike power too many opportunities in the first 25 minutes with our kicking game and when we did get down there we didn’t convert our pressure into points.
“But there have been some positive signs over the past two weeks. We have played against the two best sides in the competition and we’ve shown we are not far off. We’ll take a lot of belief out of that.”
