WASPS won’t be pushovers up front this season, according to England lock Joe Launchbury.

He said: “We had some injuries up front last season which set us back, but this year we’ve got a much more solid pack.

“We’ve got a squad of 18 or 20 forwards all pushing for a starting shirt and that’s going to be massive, if we’re all pushing each other.

“You saw it in the first game. We’ve brought in some really good ball carriers and we’re certainly going to be better in that area.

“No one knows how Dai is going to shuffle his cards. But I’d imagine players will get their turn because at the end of last season there were some dead bodies out there.”