Edwards calls for a final sting in Wasps tale

Shaun Edwards will demand deposed Guinness Premiership champions Wasps give themselves the "best possible chance" of Heineken Cup qualification by ending Gloucester's title hopes today. A bonus point victory for the Londoners at Adams Park would seal seventh place, provided Northampton do not achieve an identical feat in beating Sale Sharks.

And that will be enough for a prized Heineken Cup place as one of seven English representatives, as long as French club Bourgoin win the second-tier European Challenge Cup next month. A Wasps win would also end Gloucester's season, putting them out of the play-offs just a week after their EDF Energy Cup final humiliation against Cardiff Blues. Either way, Wasps' season will end today - a strange scenario for a club who have repeatedly contested domestic and European silverware this decade.

It is something the head coach Edwards is not used to, but he is pleased with a strong finish to the season. "It is a bit disappointing, but to lose seven games by four points or less has broken our backs," he said. "London Irish have not lost a game by more than seven points. It re-emphasises that the difference between success and failure is so small. "We have gone 10 games unbeaten at home now, and we have to give ourselves the best possible chance for that last Heineken Cup spot, so that means it has to be a must-win game. Gloucester have been a bogey team of ours over the past 18 months.

"We haven't won many games against them, so we are pretty keen to get the advantage this time." Gloucester must win with a bonus point and hope fourth-placed London Irish collect nothing more than a losing bonus from their trip to Worcester, otherwise the play-offs will prove beyond reach. The fall-out could be considerable, with several players already thought to be leaving Kingsholm - including the England internationals Olly Barkley, Iain Balshaw and Anthony Allen - while head coach Dean Ryan would inevitably face an uncertain future.

Ryan has made seven changes from the side stunned 13-6 at home by Worcester on Tuesday night, but injuries sideline Balshaw, Mike Tindall, James Simpson-Daniel and Olivier Azam. Sale, having had a point deducted earlier this week for fielding an unregistered player, must harvest a five-point maximum against visitors Northampton. But even that is unlikely to be enough to break into the top four.

Leicester, guaranteed a home semi-final on May 9, need one point to finish top when they host relegated Bristol, whose team include departing trio David Lemi, Shaun Perry and Dan Ward-Smith. "We have put ourselves in a position to finish top of the Premiership, and we want to take that," said the Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill. Harlequins will join the Tigers with home advantage if they see off Newcastle and claim a bonus point, but Bath could still pinch second spot by claiming five points at home to Saracens and Quins not securing a maximum.

Peter Grant scored a 70th-minute try to help the Cape Town Stormers all but end the Otago Highlanders' semi-final chances with an 18-11 victory in their Super 14 clash in Dunedin yesterday. Grant went over unopposed after the Stormers had spent the best part of four minutes hammering away at the Highlanders' tryline to give his side the breathing space they need to hold on until the end at Carisbrook.

The Highlanders secured a bonus point for finishing within seven points to move equal with Australia's Western Force on 23 points, but remain in 10th place in the table, with other teams above them still to play over the weekend. Western Force beat the Johannesburg Lions 55-14 in yesterday's other game. There are four Super 14 games today, the Auckland Blues host the Queensland Reds, Pretoria Bulls play Waikato Chiefs, Bloemfontein Cheetahs take on the Canterbury Crusaders and the CA Brumbies travel to face the Wellington Hurricanes.

Hull FC look to end a six-match losing streak tonight when they head to Salford Sharks in Rugby League's Super League. Salford are coached by Shaun McRae, who was previously in charge at Hull. "They are not playing badly, they just can't get that win and they've been in the games which could have gone either way," he said. "It's only round the corner, but I hope they've got to go round two corners to get to it!"

* Agencies