12:50pm Friday 12th March 2010
By Alan Feldberg
TONY Hanks believes his Wasps squad will get a new lease of life at just the right time this season.
For much of the campaign their lengthy injury list means they have been operating from week to week, particularly up front.
But players are starting to filter back and Hanks hopes they will return in time to make a real difference.
He said: “When you consider the guys that have been out, we’ve operated on a fairly small squad.
“But hopefully over the next three to four weeks we’ll start to see more bodies at training.
“They’ll come back fresh and the difference this year is we’ll get to the last few months with some real energy and enthusiasm.”
Club captain Tom Rees could be first in line. Hanks says he will see how he trains before making a decision on whether to include him at Sale, while Tom French is also closing in on his first game of the season after returning to full training.
Joe Simpson and Phil Vickery should be ready to return in April while the news is also good for Simon Shaw, whose shoulder injury sustained against Ireland is not as bad as first feared – although Wasps have not said when he should return.
But with the cavalry arriving late April to early May, Wasps need to stay in the Amlin Challenge Cup and Guinness Premiership to make the most of them – the European and Premiership finals take place over successive weekends starting May 21.
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