London Wasps may be the past masters at peaking at the business end of the season. Having finished runners-up in the regulation 22 games four times now, and despatched Northampton twice and then Sale to earn a crack at the Premiership "league champions" in the grand finale.

If there was one team Lawrence might prefer not to face it would be Bath. London Wasps have mostly thrown off their Leicester hoodoo, having trumped them in a Guinness Premiership final in 2005, an EDF semi final in 2006 and a Heineken Cup final in 2007. But Bath remain an unanswered conundrum.

Imperious during the pre-professional year, the west countrymen have flattered to deceive during most seasons. True, Wasps did despatch them in the dour Premiership final of 2004, when the weather and a post Heineken hangover dulled our edge. However, this frustratingly unpredictable Bath team usually presents a challenge when the challenge presents itself.

Do not be fooled by their soft no-show earlier this season, or their foolhardy capitulation to Wasps rapier-like back play at the Rec. One of Lawrence's moments to forget in a Wasps' shirt was when Bath took us in a nascent play-off (before they meant anything in terms of real silverware) at Loftus Road, despite our being half a street ahead before the hour mark.

Bath stormed back and won, leaving Lawrence in a bit of a heap just prior to the Lions tour of Australia in 2001. It was a mark of the big man that he hauled himself back to make that tour - most mortals would have opted to stay at home with such a serious injury. He probably shouldn't have gone, as he exacerbated his ACL injury and required surgery. So,  expect him to focus only on a successful conclusion to his last ever competitive match on Wasps' "home" soil... That is a certainty.

However, Bath are also dangerous at this time of the year. But they'll have to do mightiy well to stop Lawrence signing off in his accustomed fashion at our other true home, after a dozen years as our leader.

London Wasps: 15 Josh Lewsey; 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Fraser Waters, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Tom Voyce; 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Eoin Reddan;  Tim Payne, 2 Joe Ward, 3 Pat Barnard, 4 Simon Shaw, 5 Tom Palmer, 6 James Haskell, 7 Tom Rees, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio (c)Capt.

Bench from: Richard Birkett, Tom French, John Hart, Joe Worsley, Mark McMillan, Mark Van Gisbergen, James Buckland

Bath: 15. Joe Maddock; 14. Andy Higgins, 13. Alex Crockett, 12. Olly Barkley, 11. Matt Banahan; 10. Butch James, 9. Michael Claassens; 1. David Barnes, 2. Lee Mears, 3. Matt Stevens, 4. Steve Borthwick (Capt.), 5. Danny Grewcock, 6. Jonny Faamatuainu, 7. Michael Lipman, 8. Daniel Browne

16. Pieter Dixon, 17. Duncan Bell, 18. Peter Short, 19. Chris Goodman, 20. Mike Baxter, 21. Shaun Berne, 22. Nick Abendanon

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