Premiership
Launchbury to Sale?
Is the Wasps exodus set to continue?
Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Strong rumours had been circulating that Joe Launchbury appeared to be nearing a switch from Wasps to Sale. The lock was reportedly unhappy following the departures of Nathan Hughes and Willie Le Roux. Hughes has joined Bristol Bears while the South African Le Roux is set to leave the club at the end of the season.
The future of Elliot Daily is also currently the subject of speculation. Launchbury currently earns in the region of £270,000 per year. RugbyPass have suggested that Sale were willing to almost double the player’s wages and offer him a contract worth £500,000 per annum.
Wasps and Lauchbury however issued a strong statement via the club website and Twitter.
“Wasps are aware of recent rumours linking Club Captain Joe Launchbury with a move away from the Club.”
“These rumours are completely unfounded, and Wasps can confirm Launchbury will be at the Club next season.”
Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “Joe is Club Captain and has been a key part of Wasps for a long time. He is an asset to the squad.
“Joe is clearly a quality player who most clubs would want in their ranks, but he is contracted to Wasps and committed to the Club and the journey we are on.
Launchbury was quoted saying
“Wasps are obviously a Club that have been great to me over the years and are extremely close to my heart. I’m fully committed to the Club and going nowhere.”
Launchbury is a product of Wasps academy and has since made 135 appearances for them. He has been captaining the side since 2016 and also boasts 54 England caps.
This clear statement of denial from Wasps perhaps strengthens the rumours surrounding Elliot Daly move to Saracens. These rumours have been around for much longer , gather a lot of momentum and Wasps have remained silent.
In brighter news for Wasps, scrum half Ben Vellacott is set to leave Gloucester and join them at the end of the season. The 23-year-old who is a potential candidate to England’s 2019 Rugby World Cup squad as agreed to a move as reported by Gloucestershire Live.
This will be déjà vu for Gloucester fans. They also saw exciting scrum-half Dan Robson leave them in order to join Wasps four years ago.
At the time, Robson left in order to get more regular game-time. Vellacott is presently in a similar situation with club captain Willi Heinz ahead in the pecking order.
Velacott has so far managed 12 tries from 45 appearances in Cherry and Whites colours. However, he has been mainly used as an impact player and not started as many games as he would have liked to.
Sale Sharks can confirm that fly-half George Ford suffered a tear to his right quad during the early stages of the Gallagher Premiership round two game at Saracens on Saturday. Following a positive consultation with a specialist it was decided that George does not require surgery and he will now begin his rehab ahead of a busy period for club and country.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Alex Sanderson has made six changes to his starting XV to face Gloucester Rugby in the first game of the season under the Salford Stadium Friday night lights, while summer signing Le Roux Roets appears in a matchday squad for the first time (Discovery+, 7.45pm KO).
Josh Beaumont, Ernst van Rhyn and Rouban Birch come into the pack following the round two defeat at Saracens, while Sam Bedlow, Will Addison and Arron Reed are picked in the backs to face George Skivington’s men.
In total, 12 of the XV and 19 in the matchday 23 have come through or spent time in the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks front-row remains intact from the trip to the StoneX as England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up once again between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and loosehead Si McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Ben Bamber teams up with Josh Beaumont.
With Ben and Tom Curry as well as JL du Preez all missing as they undergo their return to play protocols following head injuries, Ernst van Rhyn returns alongside fellow flanker Sam Dugdale and Birch at number 8.
Gus Warr starts again at scrum-half but with George Ford injured (quad) he’ll have skipper Rob du Preez for company at half-back. After coming on as a replacement against Saracens, Bedlow starts alongside Addison, who makes his first start since re-joining the club in the summer.
Speedster Arron Reed makes his first appearance of the season alongside Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter.
Hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper cover the front row from the replacements bench with England U20s lock Tom Burrow and summer signing Le Roux Roets covering the rest of the forwards. Nye Thomas, Tom Curtis and Waisea Nayacalevu cover the backs.
Sale Sharks starting XV:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Will Addison, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. Rob du Preez, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Josh Beaumont 6. Ernst van Rhyn, 7. Sam Dugdale, 8. Rouban Birch.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Burrow, 20. Le Roux Roets, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Waisea Nayacalevu.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Injuries have forced Alex Sanderson to make three changes to his starting XV to face Saracens at the StoneX on Saturday (3.05pm KO, Saturday 28th September, live on TNT Sports).
Si McIntyre replaces last week’s Player of the Match Bevan Rodd (hamstring), while Ben Bamber and Sam Dugdale come in for Ernst van Rhyn and Tom Curry who are both undergoing their return to play protocols after leaving the field during the round one win over Harlequins.
With Sam Bedlow returning to the bench to make a 5-3 split, the matchday squad features 16 players who have come through or been involved with the Sale Sharks Academy.
In the front-row, England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie lines up between 20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour and returning loosehead McIntyre.
Al has picked a towering second-row as Bamber teams up with Hyron Andrews.
Openside flanker Ben Curry captains the side again and he and Dugdale will pack down either side of Jean-Luc du Preez at number 8.
The backs are unchanged from the narrow win over Quins, with Gus Warr starting again at scrum-half alongside fly-half George Ford, and Rob du Preez and Waisea Nayacalevu outside them in the centres.
Alex has picked a familiar back three once again with Tom O’Flaherty, Tom Roebuck and full-back Joe Carpenter hoping to provide the spark.
The replacements bench is an exclusively Sharks Academy affair with hooker Ethan Caine, and props Tumy Onasanya and James Harper covering the front row. Josh Beaumont and Rouban Birch make up the rest of the forwards, while Nye Thomas, Bedlow and Will Addison cover the backs.
Sale Sharks Starting lineup:
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Waisea Nayacalevu, 12. Rob du Preez, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr; 1. Si McIntyre, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Hyron Andrews, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Jean-Luc du Preez.
Replacements:
16. Ethan Caine, 17. Tumy Onasanya, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Rouban Birch, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Sam Bedlow, 23. Will Addison.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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