WASPS have employed a Commonwealth Games wrestler as they try and get to grips with their opposition.

Paul Stridgeon has been taking the team through their paces as director of rugby Warren Gatland looks to leave no stone unturned in his attempt to make Wasps the best team they can be.

Gatland has already taken his side to Poland to experience an ice chamber, where temperatures are -130C. And the wrestling initiative is another idea to help Wasps go on the glory trail this season.

Gatland said: "Paul does some wrestling drills to help with our conditioning and fitness. Rugby is sometimes similar to wrestling. There's a lot of dragging and pulling involved."

And the wrestling drills helped on Saturday as Stade Francais failed to successfully grapple the initiative away from Wasps in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final.

The French side were left floored by a try by Fraser Waters and a try by Kenny Logan, who intercepted a pass on his own 22 and ran 65 yards to score under the posts as Wasps ran out 27-12 winners in France and 67-44 winners overall to go through to play Pontypridd in the semi-final.

Gatland said: "It was good to get through not having lost. It would have been very difficult to go there and try and defend a 13-point lead so we looked to be positive and it paid off."

The first leg of the semi-final against Pontypridd will be played at Adams Park on the weekend of April 12-13 with the return leg a fortnight later.

Wasps are favourites to beat Pontypridd but Gatland said: "Underestimate them at your peril."

This means the Newcastle match has had to be switched, with the game taking place at Adams Park on Saturday, March 1, at 3pm.

January 24, 2003 10:00