DAN ROBSON admits “it does not get any easier” for Wasps when they entertain Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership this weekend.
Robson scored his side’s only try in their heavy defeat at Munster last weekend as Wasps were eliminated from the European Champions Cup.
The scrum-half was making his first appearance since the end of October after a groin injury left him sidelined until his return at Thomond Park.
And Robson feels Wasps were well below their best and Ireland but need to pick themselves up for the challenge against Saracens this weekend.
Robson said: “It doesn’t get any easier, that’s the challenge for us and we’ve got to get excited about that, we can’t shy away from that challenge.
“We’ve spoken about the recent wins, we know where we are, we know we weren’t at our best by a country mile against Munster which is disappointing.
“We also know we’re not a bad team overnight, we’ve had those big results against Leicester and Toulouse, we’re excited to put that right and put in another big performance.
“Touch wood we can keep everyone fit, suddenly the training sessions are a bit more competitive, you’ve got a few more numbers out there, everything starts to feel like you’ve got a bit more of a flow.
“Hopefully, we’ll put what was wrong on Sunday, right against Saracens this weekend.”
The 29-year-old was injured close to the announcement of Eddie Jones’ England squad for the Autumn internationals and is focused on returning to his best form with Wasps before thinking about an international call-up.
Robson added: “It was a tough one, it was pretty frustrating with the result and performance, you kind of forget that personal feeling of being back, it was nice to be back in the shirt and getting some game time again.
“There’s a lot of us senior guys that have been out, it comes down to making sure you contribute as much as you can in training and give the younger lads some advice and knowledge.
“Credit to a lot of our lads who have really stepped up over the last few months, they will have gained a lot of experience and knowledge over the past six months.
“It was unfortunate timing [with regards to making the England squad], now I’m back, I can focus on Wasps, there’s no easy games in the Premiership.
“You don’t get that breather anymore, that’s the big thing that’s changed in the Premiership over the last few years, teams are so strong, it’s tough but you wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
And having finally returned to the pitch last weekend, Robson hopes he can build on his fitness over the coming weeks.
He said: “The plan was to try and get a good amount of game time in my legs without being silly, I feel good, I feel rested and recovered which is nice.
“Now I’ve got the first one out of the way you can just set free a little bit and rip in.
“Each week I felt like I could go out there and do stuff and the physio gives you something else to do and you think maybe not.
“With my position it’s not just getting in that position once in 80 minutes, you’re in that split squat position 60 to 70 times along with your kicking and everything else.
“It’s not about making sure it’s better, it’s about making sure it’s stronger, it was pretty smooth sailing as it went, I managed to get back in a decent amount of time and I’m just excited now to do as much as I can for the team.”
The club have announced that 20% of all ticket sales from their game against Saracens will be donated to the Tongan relief effort.
Wasps centre Malakai Fekitoa set up a fundraiser to help those in his homeland after the island was devastated by the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga volcano which triggered a tsunami on January 15.
Fekitoa had been cut off from his family for 12 days as communications went down in the country but was able to speak to his mother on Tuesday and confirmed his family are “safe and sound.”
Wasps clash with Saracens takes place on Sunday, January 30 with kick-off at 3pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
To donate to Fekitoa’s fundraiser please visit the following link.
