Young: Won't throw in the towel

Centre Riki Flutey and lock Marco Wentzel this week became the latest key players to join a casualty list that has haunted Wasps for much of this season.

Neither Flutey nor Wentzel are expected to play again until next term as Wasps face a six-game league schedule that could be fraught with nerves and tension, starting against Adams Park visitors London Irish.

Wasps remain above bottom club and relegation favourites Newcastle by a clear margin, but current Premiership form suggests the Falcons might overhaul them.

Wasps have not recorded a league win since they triumphed 14-12 at Worcester on October 28, while defeat this weekend would make it six successive losses in all competitions - an 11-year low.

In nine Premiership fixtures since late October, Wasps have collected just five points compared with Newcastle's 12, the Falcons having claimed two victories and a draw during that period.

It is all a far cry from Wasps' days as a true heavyweight of the English game when they landed European titles in 2004 and 2007, plus four Premiership crowns between 2003 and 2008.

"I am not one to sit down to dwell on that kind of luck," said former Wales and Lions prop Young, reflecting on the injuries.

"We've got to just work as hard as we can with the players who are fit, and keep improving to get the points we all desperately want.

"I am proud of what I am getting from the lads who are fit and out there working hard day in, day out.

"We are not where we are in the league from lack of desire or effort, and we have got to keep working hard to turn the results around.

"We have six league games left, and we are targeting six wins. If you don't do that you may as well throw in the towel, and we certainly won't be doing that."

Wasps director of Dai Young has made a quintet of changes for the game. Scrum-half Joe Simpson and hooker Rob Webber return from England duty while Sam Jones starts at number eight with Billy Vunipola out injured. Lock Marco Wentzel is another injury absentee so Richard Birkett takes his place and prop Simon McIntyre replaces Ben Broster.

London Irish make one enforced change as they look to arrest a run of three-straight Premiership defeats. Number eight Chris Hala'ufia's latest suspension, this time for 11 weeks for a dangerous tackle, sees Canada international Jebb Sinclair handed a start.