Wilson wary of Leicester response

Bath prop David Wilson is expecting to face a Leicester side "hurting" when the two sides meet in the Aviva Premiership at Welford Road on Sunday.

Just over three months ago, Bath hammered Leicester 45-0 at home and winning this weekend would complete their first double over their rivals since 2004.

And while Bath are on a five-game unbeaten run and are guaranteed to end the day in second place in the table, a Leicester win could lift them into the play-off positions.

"When you face Leicester at home, they are always going to be a different proposition," said Wilson, who lines up in a Bath side that also features rugby league recruit Sam Burgess making his first Premiership start, appearing at outside centre.

"They've got a lot of players back, and the whole team will be hurting.

"I am sure the 45-0 defeat will be on their minds. That was not the Leicester anyone knows, and to beat them by that big a margin was a surprise for everyone, as much as a brilliant win for us.

"But they're getting together their power game through the pack, and they have got momentum now."

Leicester beat Sale 32-30 last time out, overhauling a 15-point deficit to take a victory that followed defeats to Toulon and Northampton.

"We had lost two games leading into the Sale game, so it could have been easy for us to throw in the towel and accept defeat. To win in that manner was massive for us," Tigers number eight Jordan Crane said.

"It is going to be a tough one for us on Sunday.

"There is a bit of a bad taste in our mouths, but it is just another Premiership game. We have not really spoken about the revenge aspect.

"We owe them one, if you like, but we can't be as naïve as we were down there. We probably need the points more than them at the moment."

Wasps expect a crowd of around 15,000 to cheer them on at the Ricoh Arena where they take on Sale as they try to keep themselves in the hunt for a top four place.

"We will be working hard to produce an 80-minute performance on Sunday, and we know we will need to be at our best against a strong Sale side," said Wasps rugby director Dai Young, who includes former Sale players Rob Miller, Simon McIntyre and James Gaskell in his starting XV.

"Sale are a battle-hardened team with a fantastic driving lineout and some X-factor players who can win games for them, so we know the threat they will bring.

"While we weren't happy with aspects of our performance last Sunday (against Gloucester), it was good to get the monkey off our back by getting an away win in the Premiership."