European Cup record

A 27-20 win over Stade Toulousain in the 2004 final brought Wasps their first major European title, before a 25-9 win over Leicester Tigers in the 2007 decider saw them crowned champions once again. The only other occasion the Gallagher Premiership club have progressed further than the quarter-finals was in 2016, when they reached the last four but lost 24-17 to Saracens.

Last season

A 24-8 win win at Dragons followed by a 33-14 success at home to Montpellier Hérault Rugby saw Wasps advance to the knockout stage of the Heineken Champions Cup, but their European season came to an end in the Round of 16 as a last-gasp Kotaro Matsushima try helped ASM Clermont Auvergne to a 27-25 win at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Head coach

Lee Blackett took charge in 2020, having been a part of Wasps’ coaching staff since 2015. He had previously led then-Championship outfit Rotherham Titans, whom he turned out for during his playing days, as well as Leeds Carnegie.

Key players

Long-serving England lock Joe Launchbury is one of a number of experienced operators in the Wasps squad, with scrum-half Dan Robson and utility back Jimmy Gopperth having racked up plenty of games for them too. Prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen, lock Vaea Fifita and centre Malakai Fekitoa have all represented New Zealand, while a plethora of promising talents includes hooker Gabriel Oghre, back-row forward Jack Willis and fly-half Jacob Umaga.

Pool fixtures

Wasps’ Pool B campaign gets under way at home to Munster Rugby on December 12, before they travel to Stade Toulousain a week later. They host the reigning champions on January 15 before completing their pool stage at Munster on January 23.

Two-time European champions Wasps are the next side to go under the microscope as our previews of this season’s Heineken Champions Cup sides move closer to completion.