Stunned Shaw takes his eyes off the ball

14 April 2012

Men the size of Simon Shaw - 6ft 9in and almost 19st - are not easily brought crashing down to earth. The news received almost seven weeks ago, however, that he had not made England's World Cup squad remains a blow that the giant Wasps lock is still riding out.

Stunned and upset by the rejection, he was initially jolted back to reality in the most joyful way imaginable - the birth of his first child, Samantha.

Then there was the fact that he and his newly-enlarged family were involved in a house move. And, of course, there was the start of a new domestic season and Wasps' attempt to defend their Zurich Premiership title.

After winning his 23rd England cap in the final World Cup warm-up match against France at Twickenham on 6 September, but then seeing Leicester's Martin Corry pip him for a place in the squad of 30, Shaw has played in each of the first six matches of Wasps' season. Three defeats in the first four games made it a difficult opening month for the champions, but Shaw and Wasps go to Saracens for Sunday's big London derby seeking a third successive victory.

In his first interview since being told he was surplus to World Cup requirements, the 30-year-old Shaw told Standard Sport: "At first, there was so much going on in my life outside of rugby - especially the arrival of Samantha - that it all slipped to the back of my mind.

"But since the World Cup has actually started and the games have been on television, it has been difficult for me not to have one eye on what is happening down in Australia.

"A bit of me is still thinking that I should be there, but it has also helped me enormously to be involved in the club season and, of course, I've tried extremely hard to knuckle down to the job in hand at Wasps.

"But if I'm being totally honest with myself and really critical, I would say that I could have played a fair bit better in the first part of this season.

"I think there has been an element of me feeling a bit sorry for myself. At the time of each game so far this season I felt I was giving my all for Wasps, but with hindsight perhaps I was not."

Shaw believes the immediate key to Wasps' fortunes lies in their defence, which has not yet matched the rocklike quality displayed as they surged to domestic and European honours in irresistible style last season.

"Our defence has not been up to scratch," he said. "That has been the difference so far. We began badly last season but this season our attacking play has at times been as good as at any stage in my Wasps career.

"But although we have been dominant in all our first six games, we have not come away with the points and tries we have wanted and we have also been sucker-punched too much. As champions we are there to be shot at but we have great experience at the club and we know it will come right."

Saracens, who have not beaten Wasps at Vicarage Road since November 1999, have been hit by news that both Thomas Castaignede (broken hand) and Nathan McAvoy (hamstring) will be out for six weeks with injuries they suffered during last Sunday's defeat at Bath. Adryan Winnan and Darragh O'Mahony replace them, while Dan Kirton is recalled at scrum-half and a new front row of Andy Kershaw, Johnny Marsters and debutant Ben Broster has been selected.

Harlequins have also changed their entire front row as they try to bounce back from last Saturday's 16-0 home defeat to Gloucester when Sale Sharks visit The Stoop tomorrow. James Hayter replaces the injured Tani Fuga at hooker, while Mike Worsley and Jon Dawson will prop the scrum in place of Ceri Jones and Laurent Gomez.

London Irish, who entertain Rotherham on Sunday, see Michael Horak return at full-back in an otherwise unchanged line-up.

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