News

Edwards well aware of Leinster's ability

October 17 2008

Wasps coach Shaun Edwards has labelled Heineken Cup opponents Leinster 'the complete package' ahead of Saturday's Dublin summit.

Edwards' team head to Ireland fresh from a confidence-building Pool Two victory over Castres.

But Leinster underlined their quality by producing a blistering first-half display that ran Murrayfield hosts Edinburgh ragged and confirmed the reigning Magners League champions' European title credentials.

"Going to Dublin to face Leinster is going to be very difficult, offensively," Edwards said.

"Leinster are very strong behind the scrum with an all-international back line.

"They have also added to their forward power by signing CJ van der Linde and Rocky Elsom. They are the complete package at the moment."

While Wasps were steady, rather than spectacular, against Castres, Edwards saw enough to suggest the Londoners can move on in optimistic fashion.

"The last time we won the Heineken Cup, we played Castres in the first game and we were hoping for a four-try victory.

"On that occasion we won a tight game, so a win is a win as far as I am concerned. There are a lot of things we can now build on."

Wasps' established European rivals Leicester are also on the road on Saturday, visiting Italian side Treviso, when most neutrals will expect a Tigers' try-fest.

Having grounded the Ospreys last Sunday through four Toby Flood penalties, an away win would set Leicester up for critical back-to-back games with Perpignan - who should be bolstered by Dan Carter's considerable presence - in December.

"You have to get points from every single game, and it is not about getting bonus points but more about winning every single game," Tigers Head Coach Heyneke Meyer said.

"The Heineken Cup was one of the attractions for me coming to work in Europe.

"It is a huge challenge for any team as it's a round-robin competition and a knockout all in one. That makes it a really tough competition to win, and you need to be 100 per cent in every game.

"Against the Ospreys, we played very well in first-half and should have scored more tries, but we didn't.

"And that just shows the quality of this competition. If you don't take your chances, you are always under pressure."

England international Tom Croft could be pressed into openside flanker duties for Leicester this weekend, with Ben Woods, Ben Herring and Lewis Moody all injured, while prop Marcos Ayerza is battling to overcome an arm problem.