Gatland takes a chance

London Wasps are ready to gamble as they attempt to avoid another Powergen Cup embarrassment on Sunday.

Wasps lost to Pertemps Bees last season, ruining their bid for a treble, and are anxious to avoid a similar fate against Bristol.

However, Warren Gatland, the club's director of rugby, has named Academy players Garth Chamberlain and Dan Cipriani in the squad as the European champions gamble that Bristol do not pose a serious threat.

Chamberlain won BBC's Born to Win programme in 2003, a series that searched for the UK's best sporting talent. Cipriani, 17, helped England to reach the Sevens final at the recent Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia.

Alex King, Craig Dowd, Jonny O'Connor and Joe Worsley have been rested while Matt Dawson (calf), Simon Shaw (elbow) and Ayoola Erinle (quad) are injured.