Edwards is delighted his Wasps are mean again

Standing firm: Wasps prop Ben Broster stops Newport’s Gavin Thomas charging through
10 April 2012

Shaun Edwards says London Wasps have rediscovered their defensive strength as they try to keep the pressure on Toulouse in the battle for a place in the last eight of the Heineken Cup.

At the midway stage in Pool Six, Wasps are two points behind the leaders from France so will be looking for a bonus-point victory against Newport Gwent Dragons at Adams Park on Sunday.

Last week, Edwards's men found the Welsh side extremely difficult to subdue but eventually came through to win 23-16.

Wasps have been hit hard by injuries this season and their normally stingy defence has lost its steel for much of the campaign.

In 10 Aviva Premiership matches they have scored 223 points but conceded just one less while the picture is a little better in Europe with 77 for and 60 against.

However, the worrying statistics are chiefly down to the first part of the season with a tougher Wasps now on a five-match winning run.

In fact, having conceded more than 20 points in
seven of their first eight games, they have now done that just twice in their last seven.

The change is a relief for the head coach as Wasps' inability to stop the opposition from scoring had put extra pressure on their attacking game to make up for shipping so many points.

Edwards said: "We are defending better at the moment and not conceding as many tries or penalties which was not the case earlier in the season when we were allowing 25 to 30 points per game.

"That is an awful lot for the attack to make up and recently we have kept the opposition around the 14-15 points mark, although the Dragons did score 16 against us last weekend.

"We are under no illusions about the task we face against the Dragons at home on Sunday and it will be another big test of our defence."

Wasps, twice European champions, are the capital's only hope of reaching the quarter-finals, which will feature the six pool winners and the best two runners-up.

They began their Heineken Cup campaign with an 18-16 defeat in Toulouse and host the French in what could be a pool decider next month. Edwards said: "We know there was an opportunity to pull off an historic win in that opening match at Toulouse and there is still a lot of tough rugby to face in the competition.

"Sunday's game is followed by a huge match at Glasgow, which we will have to win to make it a winner-takes-all clash with Toulouse."

After the Dragons match, the next fixture for Wasps is on Boxing Day against arch-rivals Saracens at Wembley. Around 50,000 fans are expected to be at the game and they will witness Gavin Henson make his debut for the opposition.

Edwards, as Wales defence coach, has worked closely with Henson and is delighted to see the former Ospreys centre back in rugby after a two-year break from the game.

Although his priority will be Wasps, the match will give Edwards the chance to assess Henson ahead of the Six Nations. The 28-year-old is desperate to play in that tournament as he bids to be part of the Welsh plans for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

"It's brilliant that Gavin will be involved in the Sarries match," said Edwards. "You play the game for special days like the Boxing Day game at Wembley but, for now, the focus at Wasps is on beating the Dragons and then we can all get excited about the Sarries match."

Wales No8 Andy Powell is set to sign a two-year deal with Wasps after making a major impact since joining from Cardiff Blues and regaining his place in the national squad.

At present, the 29-year-old is only under contract until the end of this season.

See Saracens and boost our fund

Saracens' clash with London Wasps at Wembley is the highlight of the Boxing Day rugby programme and will provide a boost to the Evening Standard's Dispossessed Fund.

The club will give the proceeds from thousands of ticket sales to the initiative, which they have adopted as their charity for the season.

Tickets, costing just £10 for adults and £5 for
under-16s, are available from Ticketmaster, who have agreed to waive their fee.

The Aviva Premiership side are also selling Saracens Santa Hats online and at home games throughout the month with profits going to the Dispossessed Fund, which is focused on lifting Londoners out of poverty.

For tickets go to www.standard.co.uk/saracens

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