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Wasps Wait For Vickery News

Wed 16 Apr, 08:09 AM


Wasps face an anxious wait before discovering if England captain Phil Vickery will play any further part in their bid for Guinness Premiership title glory.

Vickery is to undergo a scan after limping off with a knee injury during Tuesday night's 29-19 victory over play-off rivals Sale Sharks at Adams Park.

The Wasps prop has not damaged the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) but his season - and possibly this summer's England tour to New Zealand - remains in doubt after his right leg was twisted awkwardly in a ruck.

Vickery was strapped up and tried to continue but, after two scrums, he limped off. He emerged from the changing room midway through the second half on crutches and his knee packed with ice.

Wasps rugby director Ian McGeechan said: "It is not his ACL. He got his leg twisted but, until he gets it scanned, nobody knows what damage he has done."

A seventh successive league win, underpinned by 19 points from Danny Cipriani, took Wasps into the top four.

"The players have worked really hard and we are really proud of them. That last defensive play, when Sale went back 30 yards with the ball, showed the attitude," McGeechan added.

"You don't get much spirit like that to the pound.

"I don't think people have noticed it, but since we got all our players back from the World Cup, we have been consistent right through. We have only lost one Premiership game since October."

Leicester boss Marcelo Loffreda has set his team a target of three successive victories in their quest to reach the play-offs.

The Tigers saw their hopes of a top-four finish dented by a 26-12 defeat against title rivals Bath at the Recreation Ground.

Leicester have now dropped into sixth place, and Loffreda knows there can be no further slip-ups in remaining Premiership fixtures against Bristol, Newcastle and Harlequins.

Loffreda said: "There is no doubt that we have to win our last three games to have a chance of the play-offs.

"But we are thinking in a positive way, and we now look forward to the Bristol game on Saturday. All the games are massive now."

Loffreda made 14 changes from the side that lost last Saturday's EDF Energy Cup final against the Ospreys at Twickenham, and the Tigers were mauled in the first half as Bath scored tries by prop Matt Stevens, hooker Lee Mears and wing Matt Banahan, his ninth Premiership touchdown of the season.

But at 23-0 ahead at half-time, Bath failed to build on that commanding advantage in the second period, conceding consolation tries to Leicester fly-half Ian Humphreys and substitute Frank Murphy.

While Leicester moved down the table, Bath climbed into second spot to remain on course not only for the play-offs, but also a home tie.

Bath head coach Steve Meehan said: "I thought we played some great rugby in the first-half.

"The skill level of this team has improved enormously, and I really thought some of the rugby we played was breathtaking.

"If you are going to be ultra-critical, you will look at the fact we didn't get a bonus point, but Leicester have got a very good defensive record and we should be quite proud of the way we attacked and the amount of pressure we put on them."

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