Jimmy Gopperth believes Wasps teammate Charles Piutau is a 'world-class' talent

Jimmy Gopperth believes Wasps teammate Charles Piutau is a 'world-class' talent

Martyn Thomas

April 8, 2016

© Harry Engels/Getty Images

Wasps fly-half Jimmy Gopperth has described returning teammate Charles Piutau as the kind of "world-class" talent who only comes around "once in a blue moon".

Piutau will start at fullback at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday as Wasps entertain Exeter bidding to reach the last four in Europe's premier club competition for the first time in nine years.

Following a shaky start to the campaign, Dai Young's side have found their form with December's home defeat to the Chiefs a rare blip in a run that has seen them climb to third in the Aviva Premiership while making the European Champions Cup quarterfinals.

At the heart of their rise has been All Black Piutau, whose influence on the Wasps attack is far greater than the two tries he has so far contributed to their European campaign.

"He's been brilliant, he's a world-class player," Gopperth told ESPN of Piutau, who will join Ulster for the 2016-17 season.

"You can just see the way he plays and the confidence he brings through the squad. Those players only come around once in a blue moon.

"He's been a class act for us and I'm sure he'll give his all for the rest of the season. He'll be sadly missed."

Former Leinster and Newcastle No.10 Gopperth becomes much more circumspect when talking about his own attributes, labelling himself merely a "cog" in the Wasps machine.

The New Zealander's 51 Champions Cup points have been integral to the Coventry-based club's march to the last eight, but he insists the quality of the Wasps back division - bolstered by the return of scrum-halves Dan Robson and Joe Simpson for Exeter's visit - makes life easier.

"I'm just another cog in the back line and I don't need to try too much, I just let the players do the work and try and put them in a bit of space," Gopperth added. "They can make something happen from nothing with their X-factor and it's just a good group to be involved with at the moment.

"And we've got a good culture, no one's above the team. Everyone's pretty mellow and enjoys playing alongside each other."

Gopperth could easily be discussing Saturday's opponents when he talks about a "good culture". Much of Exeter's success has been built on identifying talent that will not only improve the team but also buy into the club's ethos.

It is an approach that Gopperth believes will keep the Chiefs at the forefront of European rugby for the foreseeable future. "They've shown [their quality] in the last six years that they've been in the Premiership now, inching their way higher and higher each year and getting better.

"They've definitely got a good model and it seems to be attracting decent players to go down and play for them as well. So, I think their model will continue and they will be around the top half of the Premiership and Europe for a long time to come."

© Martyn Thomas

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Jimmy Gopperth believes Wasps teammate Charles Piutau is a 'world-class' talent