London Wasps stand-in skipper Marco Wentzel has urged his side to come out fighting this weekend ahead of their crucial trip to face his old team the Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

Wentzel was handed the captain’s role after injury ruled out John Hart for the next few months, and he has urged his charges to turn their recent run of bad form around with a determined performance this weekend.

He commented: "As a group of players we said last weekend that only we can make things right. We said we had a choice to make – stand up and fight or run away and we are united that we want to fight to improve our Premiership season. Personally I don't think there is any place better to go than to Leicester to try and do that."

Wentzel said his side were prepared to make life as tough as possible for Leicester on their home turf, without doubting it would be a huge challenge.

"They are a great team and are always tough but we are very positive this week. Going to Welford Road no one expects us to do anything and it would be a great place to get the season back on track.

"We need to go there and make them scrap for everything and make it as tough as possible for them and take any chances that come our way. We can't change the past – we didn't take our chances last week despite having plenty of them – and we just need to look at how we can make up for it this week," he added.

Wentzel, who spent two seasons at Leicester before leaving to join Leeds said he always enjoyed playing at Welford Road.

"They will get a big crowd and there'll be a good atmosphere. We want to make our fans proud of us this weekend and it is well within our ability to do that. I am very much looking forward to the game," he said.