English Premiership
London Wasps v Bath Rugby
Scrum.com
October 1, 2008
Danny Cipriani of London Wasps gives a smile during the Guinness Premiership match between London Wasps and Harlequins at Adams Park on March 09, 2008 in High Wycombe, England.
Wasps' mercurial fly-half Danny Cipriani is primed for action © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Danny Cipriani
Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership
Teams: Bath Rugby | Wasps

Six weeks ahead of schedule, fly half Danny Cipriani will return for Wasps as they face Bath in a rare midweek fixture at Adams Park on Wednesday.

Named in the starting line up, Cipriani coincidentally make his return against the same opponents he faced when sustaining the fracture dislocation to his ankle back in May. After returning to full contact training last week the Wasps youngster is named alongside a largely unchanged back division following Wasps win at Welford Road. Cipriani replaces Jeremy Staunton at fly-half while scrum-half Eoin Reddan moves back into the starting line up, in place of Mark Robinson who takes a place on the bench.

In the front row Tim Payne and captain Raphael Ibanez make a return from injury and Simon Shaw is also called back into the starting line up partnering with Tom Palmer. The Worsley, Rees, Hart back row combination stays intact and James Haskell is recalled to the bench following his one game ban.

Speaking ahead of the game Director of Rugby Ian McGeechan said, "On the back of a great display at Leicester, especially in the second half, we saw a lot of discipline in our performance it is important that we now maintain this and continue to improve.

"Bath, currently the in-form team in Premiership, are playing some very constructive rugby. They are a well coached and strong rugby side who command a great deal of respect and we know we must lift our game another level now to produce a winning performance."

On the return of Danny Cipriani he added, "Danny has made a fantastic recovery six weeks ahead of schedule. His attitude has been superb and the work of the support staff at the club in ensuring this has been very impressive. We are delighted to see him back out on the pitch and hope that he is able to enjoy his return to action in front of a home crowd."

Bath boss Steve Meehan has made two changes to the starting XV that comprehensively defeated Worcester last Saturday. Prop David Barnes and hooker Pieter Dixon come into the front row to replace David Flatman and Lee Mears respectively.

Bath will be looking to recapture the sparkling running rugby that downed the Warriors and ensure that Cipriani's return to action is an unhappy one.

London Wasps: Tom Voyce, Paul Sackey, Riki Flutey, Dominic Waldouck, Josh Lewsey, Danny Cipriani, Eoin Reddan, Tim Payne, Raphael Ibanez (c), Phil Vickery, Simon Shaw, Tom Palmer, Joe Worsley ,Tom Rees, John Hart

Replacements: Rob Webber, Tom French, Richard Birkett, James Haskell, Rob Hoadley, Mark Robinson, Jeremy Staunton

Bath Rugby: Nick Abendanon, Joe Maddock, Alex Crockett, Shaun Berne, Jack Cuthbert, Butch James, Michael Claassens, David Barnes, Pieter Dixon, Matt Stevens, Justin Harrison, Peter Short, Stuart Hooper, Michael Lipman (c), Jonny Faamatuainu

Replacements: Lee Mears, Duncan Bell, Josh Ovens, James Scaysbrook, Scott Bemand, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, Andrew Higgins

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