Leeds Carnegie v Wasps: Back-to-basics approach now required to lift Leeds

Wasps are the visitors at Headingley tomorrow when the Yorkshire club will seek to erase the memory of their last outing, a dismal 6-3 home loss at the hands of Sale Sharks.

That wasted opportunity left them rooted to the foot of the table and brought about a stark realisation they can no longer try to play their way out of trouble.

Leeds have shown glimpses of real quality at times this season – most notably against Stade Francais when they should have defeated the illustrious Frenchmen a fortnight ago – but director of rugby Andy Key agrees there has to be a change in tack.

"We do have to go back to a bit of basics," he said.

"I think you'll see a lot more of that this weekend. We'll recognise where we can play and where we can't. It'll be about building pressure from minute one and making sure we turn that pressure into points.

"It's a real balance. The very good sides in the top six do not just have outstanding players but can play a style of game knowing the confidence is massively there.

"We've provided huge evidence this year that we're more than capable of playing that game. Whether we're consistently doing it is the big question mark and in looking at our games over the last few weeks the bit that has prevented us from continuing the type of performance we got against Stade is perhaps our basic skills at times."

Key is reassured about the squad's mental toughness and is confident, on the training park, they can do no more to sharpen up those finer execution points.

It is a matter of transferring that into match day and he remains adamant that elusive success is within touching distance.

It was at this point last year when Leeds finally delivered their first triumph – at the seventh attempt – ironically against Wasps at Adams Park.

They went on to complete a double over Tony Hanks's side, the only time to do so against the former Heineken Cup champions, and that knowledge is an added boost for the Yorkshiremen.

However, Wasps enter tomorrow on the back of their own season low – a demoralising 37-10 home loss against Northampton – and eager to respond at the end of a dark week which has also seen their much-respected former England prop Phil Vickery forced into retirement due to injury.

"It was a pretty humiliating defeat," added Key.

"Their director of rugby Tony Hanks went into the press afterwards and apologised for the way Wasps conducted themselves.

"They're not going to come here now just to let us play at our very best and come away with a win.

"They'll be tough competition – it's only a blip in their season – but we're ready for that."

Leeds make four changes with Andy Titterrell and Rhys Oakley replacing Steve Thompson and Hendre Fourie who are on England duty.

Centre Scott Barrow makes his 50th appearance for the club after replacing James Tincknell while winger Henry Fa'afili, who came on as a replacement against Sale, takes Lee Blackett's spot.

The powerful Alfie To'oala returns from injury to bolster the bench where Leigh Hinton also earns a recall but Wasps were yesterday fortified themselves by the news England team manager Martin Johnson had released World Cup winner Joe Worsley from his squad to play at Headingley.

The experienced flanker will start for ninth-placed Wasps alongside loosehead prop Tim Payne, centre Dominic Waldouck and lock Dan Ward-Smith who were all made available by England earlier in the week.

However, in-form fly-half Dave Walder is ruled out with a knee injury meaning full-back Mark Van Gisbergen switches to No10 for Wasps who have, according to Hanks, spent much of the past week doing some "soul-searching."