Euro Cup place ‘will keep’ Joe Launchbury at London Wasps

Fears that England lock Joe Launchbury could be the next Wasps star pinched by Saracens have eased now that qualification for the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup has been achieved, according to chief executive Nick Eastwood.
The two-time Heineken Cup winners will return to the top table of European rugby next season after defeating French giants Stade Francais in home and away play-offs – an achievement Eastwood describes as a “significant statement of intent”.
Wasps were dismayed to lose star No.8 Billy Vunipola to Saracens last summer, despite rugby director Dai Young believing the player would stay, and speculation has been rife that Launchbury might be tempted to head the same way.
The lock’s current contract expires in 2015, but Eastwood told The Rugby Paper: “Qualifying for the ERCC is huge and the most important thing is what it says about the club, where we’ve got to and where we’re going.
“We are on the way back and it makes a significant statement of intent, to current players and those we might look to sign.
“It’s hugely important to guys who are thinking about where they want to be and if they’re playing in the top European competition against world-class players.
“And we have a lot of exciting young English guys we’d like to hold on to.”
For his part, Launchbury, 23, is thrilled to have helped secure his first taste of Europe’s premier club competition, with Wasps having been confined to the Amlin Challenge Cup since he made his senior debut in January 2011.
Launchbury told TRP: “The way we bounced back to beat Paris was testament to how we are as a team and hopefully we’ll really kick on now.
“We turned the season into a positive one and don’t just want to be in the ERCC, we want to compete in it and the hard work starts now.
“We’ve a pretty young, predominantly English-based side and guys coming in, like James Gaskell and Rob Miller, will add quality to the team.”
NEALE HARVEY