Bristol have quality in most areas but you can’t disguise the fact that they’re down to their fourth/fifth-choice half-backs as well as an untried centre combination.
Lee Blackett’s Wasps appear to be following the same template as the Wasps of old in coming on strong in the business part of the season and while Bristol are stuck scratching their heads wondering why last season’s success is fast becoming a distant memory, they are really kicking on.
That should come as no surprise now that they can call upon quality players like Joe Launchbury, Paolo Odogwu, Ryan Mills and the Willis brothers, Tom and Jack.
Takeaway last season’s defeat and Wasps have a very good record at Ashton Gate. Prior to that game, Wasps had won on all three previous occasions they had visited the stadium and we tip them to do so again.
Bristol Bears: 15. Henry Purdy; 14. Niyi Adeolokun, 13. Semi Radradra, 12. Antoine Frisch, 11. Alapati Leiua; 10. Tiff Eden, 9. Theo Strang; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. Dave Attwood, 5. Joe Joyce, 6. Chris Vui, 7. Jake Heenan, 8. Steven Luatua (c).
Replacements: 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Jake Armstrong, 19. Sam Jeffries, 20. Dan Thomas, 21. Ioan Lloyd, 22. Callum Sheedy, 23. Piers O’Conor
Wasps: 15 Jacob Umaga, 14 Paolo Odogwu, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Dan Robson; 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
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
