Last Season: 7th
Prediction: 4th
Director of rugby: Warren Gatland
Coach: Shaun Edwards
Captain: Lawrence Dallaglio
Title odds: 10-1

Last season:

Wasps had a season to forget last year.

They lost 10 Premiership games, skipper Lawrence Dallaglio to injury, and their ground to Fulham football club.

Their opening win against Saracens aside, Wasps had a dreadful start to the season, embarking on a seven match losing run, a 29-24 win over Benetton Treviso in the Heineken Cup proving their salvation.

Matters improved when Warren Gatland succeeded the Gloucester-bound Nigel Melville as director-of-rugby, but the combination of injuries to key players and an appalling away record had done the damage.

Dallaglio's return in late March coincided with Gatland's promotion, and the impact was instant - Wasps beat Leicester 36-24 and scraped into the Championship play-offs.

Ins and Outs

Wasps have staged something of a coup in persuading former British Lions and Wales scrum-half Rob Howley to move from Cardiff.

Bath and Leicester were both interested in the pacy halfback, who provided he stays clear of injury will add some much needed nous to Wasps' young set of backs.

Martin Offiah, Ian Jones and Martin Leek are just a few of the exodus leaving the camp, as Warren Gatland stamps his mark on the squad.

Rising stars

Paul Sampson

Injury blighted the 2001/02 season for Sampson, but an impressive display in the Commonwealth Games proved the Wakefield flyer is back to full fitness.

Sampson plays at full-back or wing, and boasts not only pace (he runs the 100m in 10.48) but power and a good eye for a gap.

The 23-year-old broke his leg during England's tour to America in the summer of 2001, and will be keen to prove himself to the national selectors before next year's World Cup.

Mark Lock

Lock joins an illustrious list of talented flankers to have emerged from the Wasps' production line.

With Dallaglio absent the 22-year-old played 24 times for Wasps last season, scoring two tries and winning admirers en-route.

The return of the captain saw him warm the bench, but with Worsley and Dallaglio busy in the Autumn internationals, Lock can expect plenty of chances to prove his worth to Warren Gatland.

Predictions

Wasps performances in the second half of last season proved what the team is capable of - provided their key players are available.

Warren Gatland proved with Ireland that he is an expert at working with limited resources - these talents will be tested when Dallaglio, Worsley, Greening and Sampson disappear for England's Autumn internationals in November.

That said, provided Wasps get a good start the experience of Howley, King, Denney and Dowd should see them through the winter.