JAMES GASKELL is set to make his 150th Wasps appearance as Lee Blackett makes three personnel changes and one positional switch for Friday night’s trip to Bristol Bears.
After being narrowly beaten by Harlequins last weekend, Gaskell starts at blindside flanker for his milestone appearance and is joined by the Willis brothers in the back row.
That means Jack Willis makes his first start of the season, having come off the bench last week which marked his return to action after more than a year out with injury.
Captain Joe Launchbury returns from England’s training camp to start in the second row, alongside Elliott Stooke.
And the other change sees Gabriel Oghre come in at hooker for the injured Tom Cruse and is joined by Biyi Alo and Tom West, in the front row, the latter having signed a new contract with the club this week.
The backline is unchanged from last weekend, Ryan Mills and Sam Spink form the centre partnership with Jacob Umaga at full-back and Paolo Odogwu and Josh Bassett in the back three.
Dan Robson and Charlie Atkinson form the half-back pairing once again.
On the bench, Marcus Watson is in line to make his 50th Premiership appearance for Wasps and Alfie Barbeary returns to the squad, having been released from the England squad.
The pair are joined by Michael van Vuuren, Ben Harris, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Nizaam Carr, Will Porter and Jimmy Gopperth as the other replacements.
Wasps Starting XV
1 Tom West
2 Gabriel Oghre
3 Biyi Alo
4 Joe Launchbury (C)
5 Elliott Stooke
6 James Gaskell
7 Jack Willis
8 Tom Willis
9 Dan Robson
10 Charlie Atkinson
11 Josh Bassett
12 Ryan Mills
13 Sam Spink
14 Paolo Odogwu
15 Jacob Umaga
Replacements
16 Michael van Vuuren
17 Ben Harris
18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
19 Nizaam Carr
20 Alfie Barbeary
21 Will Porter
22 Jimmy Gopperth
23 Marcus Watson
Unavailable (8): Tom Cruse, Malakai Fekitoa, Vaea Fifita, Dan Frost, Robin Hislop, Rodrigo Martinez, Brad Shields and Thomas Young.
Wasps Gallagher Premiership clash with Bristol takes place TONIGHT (Friday, February 25) with kick-off at 7.45pm at Ashton Gate.
