Wasps confirm pre-season friendly (From Bucks Free Press)

Wasps face Leeds ahead of Premiership kick-off

11:53am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

WASPS won’t play in Wycombe until September 15 after failing to secure a home pre-season friendly.

The black and golds were going to play Aironi, but the Italians had to pull out for financial reasons and Wasps own money problems meant they simply ran out of time to organise a match at Adams Park.

Instead, they will play Leeds at Headingly on Friday, August 17.

It could mean a return to their former club for Marco Wentzel, Tom Palmer, Tommy Bell and Phil Swainston.

Meanwhile, Wasps play Treviso away a week tomorrow.

Director of rugby Dai Young said: “These will be two good tests for us and we’re looking forward to getting out on the pitch.

“We’ve got a lot of new players who are desperate to get a Wasps shirt on for the first time and a lot of players who missed the end of last season with injury and who have been working very hard to get right over the past few months.

“These games will be a chance for all of them to stake a claim for that first competitive game at Twickenham. It is a shame we can’t play in front of our home fans in pre-season but it was just one of those things this year.”