LAWRENCE Dallaglio ended his playing career by lifting the Guinness Premiership title last week - now he will join the fight to keep Wasps in Wycombe.

The former England World Cup winner retired in a blaze of glory at Twickenham last week in front of a club world record 81,600 fans before turning his attention to the campaign to build a pioneering new community stadium in Wycombe for Wanderers and Wasps to share.

And the most successful captain in Wasps' history has got just six months to do it or accept defeat.

The rugby club have set themselves a Christmas deadline in their bid to find a site for their 18,000/20,000 purpose-built stadium complete with an unrivalled sporting complex to share with Wanderers and a surprise new partner in Bucks New University.

If they don't see real progress' and get a written agreement of support from the council by then Wasps - the most successful club in England - will turn their attention to Plan B, leaving Wycombe.

Wanderers MD and Wasps shareholder Steve Hayes said: "Wycombe is a thriving town. It has just got the new Eden Shopping Centre and It would be a catastrophe if Wasps were to leave.

"Wasps have fallen into the town's lap. They just turned up and if they do go it's not as if anyone will come along and replace them.

"I can't even contemplate how ridiculous it would be to lose them."

The two clubs, with the university now entwined, have earmarked up to five potential sites within five miles of Adams Park where they want to build their stadium, training facilities, a hotel, conference rooms, players' flats and learning centres.

Hayes said: "I don't think there's any club in the country that's planning what we want to do.

"We want facilities that would be banging out the business seven days a week with conferencing and a hotel.

"We want young players living on site without having to find digs, we want a relationship with Craig Dowd's North Harbour and to be able to offer accommodation for their players who might come over here."

And with Dallaglio joining the charm offensive, Hayes is looking for quick progress.

He said: "I want to be sitting there watching a game in five years. That's realistic but it need everyone pulling in the right direction.

l Council congratulates Wasps. See page 140