Guinness Premiership : Simon Shaw set to become record breaker at Leeds

Simon Shaw set to become record breaker at Leeds

9 May 2008, 1:48 pm

By Jonathan McConnell

When Simon Shaw runs out at Headingley Carnegie tomorrow, he will be about to contest his 200th Premiership game - the first player ever to reach a double century of league appearances.

Shaw made his league debut for Wasps against London Irish in October 1997, and has since celebrated 122 league wins (11 drawn, 66 lost), scoring 18 tries and a drop goal over the last ten and a half years. The drop goal, against Bath in August 2000, makes Shaw the only lock in the history of the league to have achieved this feat!

Shaw, whose success with England this season has limited him to 11 appearances in Wasps current league campaign, is also a veteran of two British Lions tours and was a member of England’s 2003 World Cup wining squad as well as playing for England in the 2007 World Cup Final.

He won London Wasps’ Players’ Player of the Year Award in 2003, and was voted Zurich Premiership Player of the Season in 2004. He has also played in every final contested by Wasps since he joined the club, collecting three Premiership winners medals, two Heineken Cup, two Tetley Bitter Cup, one Parker Pen European Shield and one Powergen Cup winners medal.

Shaw is named in a much changed team from that which ran in four tries against Newcastle on Wednesday as Director or Rugby Ian McGeechan once again looks to refresh his team during Wasps busy end of season schedule.

Two personnel changes in the backs hand starts to Mark Van Gisbergen and Jeremy Staunton. Staunton replaces Danny Cipriani, who takes a turn on the bench after having started Wasps two previous games in the last week. Josh Lewsey is similarly rested, making way for Van Gisbergen, with Riki Flutey moving from full back to his more accustomed centre role.

Seven changes in the forwards mean only James Haskell remains from Wednesday’s victory, all seven changes made to refresh the pack following the quick three day turn around.

The team is captained by Lawrence Dallaglio, in his last regular league game before he retires at the end of the season.

Wasps need to win on Saturday to guarantee a play off game next week. A bonus point could see Wasps secure second place and a home semi final next Sunday, providing Gloucester beat Bath in their local derby at Kingsholm.

Looking ahead to the game, Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan said, “We have had some big results over the last three months, and our success has been down to an excellent squad effort, in which every player has played his part. The game against Leeds is critical to our play off fortunes, and so it’s essential we maintain our focus and squad mentality in this game.

“This season it has been obvious that every game in the Guinness Premiership has been very competitive. Leeds have remained a difficult team to play against all year, and gave us a very competitive game at Adams Park earlier in the season. I’m sure it will be no different tomorrow.”

London Wasps team to face Leeds Carnegie in the Guinness Premiership on Saturday 10th May, kick off 3pm is:

15 Mark Van Gisbergen
14 Paul Sackey
13 Dominic Waldouck
12 Riki Flutey
11 Tom Voyce
10 Jeremy Staunton
9 Eoin Reddan

1 Tom French
2 Raphael Ibanez
3 Michael Holford
4 Simon Shaw
5 Tom Palmer
6 Joe Worsley
7 James Haskell
8 Lawrence Dallaglio (c)

16 Joe Ward
17 Tim Payne
18 Richard Birkett
19 Rob Webber
20 Mark McMillan
21 Josh Lewsey
22 Danny Cipriani