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Wasps ready to swarm all over champions Saracens

By Pirate Irwin
Africa Danny Cipriani's last England appearance was in a World Cup warm-up match last year.  By Glyn Kirk AFPFile
SEP 1, 2016 LISTEN
Danny Cipriani's last England appearance was in a World Cup warm-up match last year. By Glyn Kirk (AFP/File)

London (AFP) - Maverick talents Kurtley Beale and Danny Cipriani will spearhead Wasps' bid to dethrone Saracens and be crowned English champions for the first time since the 2007/08 campaign.

Wasps have invested heavily in freshening up the squad -- England centre Kyle Eastmond has arrived from Bath and Springbok fullback Willie Le Roux will join in January -- for the season which starts on Friday.

Director of rugby Dai Young will be praying both Australian Beale and Englishman Cipriani focus their efforts on the pitch and do not make the wrong sort of headlines as they did when they were at Melbourne Rebels four years ago.

Beale -- who will earn a reported £1.5 million (1.7m euros, $1.9m) over two years but will not be available until late November at the earliest because of a knee injury -- says those days are in the past, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika having reformed him when he was in charge of the Waratahs.

"That's quite a few years ago now," the 27-year-old utility back told The Times.

Kurtley Beale will earn a reported 1.5 million over two years but will not be available until late November Kurtley Beale will earn a reported £1.5 million over two years but will not be available until late November

"Nobody's perfect in this world, but the culture at Wasps is fantastic and I don't think there will be any trouble."

Cipriani, whose last England appearance was in a World Cup warm-up match last year, is returning 'home' as he first sprang to prominence at Wasps before a troubled spell in Australia and then finding a safe haven at Sale.

"Saracens have set the bar and it is up to the chasing pack to close the gap," said Cipriani, who returns to a team where virtually the only fmailiar face is hoary backrow forward James Haskell.

"That is my focus, to help this team move forward and win trophies."

The 28-year-old added: "I can sleep happily at night knowing that I am doing all I can for that."

Despite the sparkling creative talent Wasps have accrued, they will find it tough to wrest the crown away from Saracens and their young but battle-hardened locks George Kruis and Maro Itoje.

'Better things ahead'

England centre Kyle Eastmond has arrived from Bath England centre Kyle Eastmond has arrived from Bath

They not only won the domestic title and a maiden European Champions Cup but were also part of the England side that cruised to the Six Nations Grand Slam and then a historic 3-0 series win in Australia over the World Cup finalists.

Aside from the arrival of Springboks legend Schalk Burger, the squad remains stable and director of rugby Mark McCall is confident they will not let their standards slip.

"The age profile of our group is good, they are highly motivated and hopefully better things are ahead," said McCall.

"We have grown as a club and we need to remember the underlying factors which have made us successful over the past couple of years.

"If we do stay true to those things, then hopefully we will give ourselves a chance."

Others hoping to gatecrash the title race are Leicester, Northampton -- who have signed outstanding France No.8 Louis Picamoles -- and Bath, who have hired former All Blacks skipper Todd Blackadder as head coach.

However, the inexorable rise of Exeter will engender most interest as they bid to go one better than last term's final defeat to Saracens.

The vibrancy of their backs, fly-half Henry Slade and wing Jack Nowell, will be bolstered by the arrival of centre Ollie Devoto, whilst experience in the pack has been added with Wallabies prop Greg Holmes.

"It's going to be another great challenge for us and what we've got to make sure we do is look forward to that challenge and make sure it brings the best out of us," head coach Rob Baxter told local paper Express and Echo.

"That's what we've thrived on in the past with Exeter and that's got to be what we make sure stays as one of the foundations we work on this season."

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