Elliot Daly on Danny Cipriani, learning from last season and Wasps' massive match against Northampton

Wasps and Northampton are both under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons

Elliot Daly's future at Wasps has come under question this week (Getty)

It is hard to know what to expect at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday in a derby game between Wasps and Northampton which sees both clubs under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

In what has been a turbulent week for third-placed Wasps, whose financial future is once again a source of major concern after a three-year period of relative stability since relocating to Coventry, a win is desperately needed to deflect attention from off-field issues while reasserting their position as serious Premiership title contenders.

A club statement, issued on Wednesday by director of rugby Dai Young rather than a member of the club’s Board, hardly amounted to a robust denial of one newspaper’s report alleging a potential “mutiny” is on the cards. If there is no problem, why not put chairman and owner Derek Richardson up to speak to the press?

Suggestions Wasps’ situation is so dire they may lose high-profile figures such as Elliot Daly and Joe Launchbury when their contracts expire at the end of the season were labelled “horse sh*t” on Twitter by Launchbury’s agent but there is clearly anxiety around the club’s commercial affairs.

There has been talk over Daly's future (Getty)

With tensions running high, five points against lowly Saints will as good as guarantee an away semi-final spot and at least go some way towards calming the frayed nerves of fans, many of whom still make the long trip north from the club’s former west London base in Acton.

It will however only be a short-term fix.

Renewed doubts over the financial affairs of a club which almost went bankrupt in 2013 will no doubt overshadow a game which will see James Haskell, Danny Cipriani and Guy Thompson all making their last appearances for Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.

Eyebrows were raised when Young signed former All Black No10 Lima Sopoaga midway through the season, effectively pushing Cipriani out of the door at the end of the season after two relatively successful seasons since returning to club where he began his career.

“As you can see Cips is a quality player,” said Daly. “He's performed very well for us and the mindset he brings to attack is something we'll keep when he leaves. The way he manipulates defenders and looks at the game that way is probably a lot different to what we had before. To have that even for a couple of years has been massive. It's definitely been helpful for me.

“He's very gifted in what he does and he knows what he wants to do to defenders. That kind of mindset is different to what I've had before. To listen to that and learn from it is great. There's a lot of characters leaving so giving them as good a send-off as possible is a big one for us. They're all very highly regarded in our group. It would be nice to send them away with something. Obviously if it is a trophy that would be great.”

Northampton, lying 10th in the table following a disastrous season which has seen them sack long-standing director of rugby Jim Mallinder after suffering a horror run of defeats before Christmas, have recalled former England centre Luther Burrell and prop Alex Waller.

Despite enduring a season most Saints fans will want to forget, back-to-back wins over Leicester have at least given them bragging rights over their oldest midlands rivals with their most recent one coming unexpectedly at Welford Road a fortnight ago.

Saints are yet to beat Wasps at the Ricoh Arena and another shock victory on Sunday would provide a further tonic before Hurricanes head coach Chris Boyd arrives in the summer.

“Northampton played very well against Leicester and they've got nothing to lose,” Daly added. “It's always a close game when we play them. They've got a quality team and it's going to be a tough game. There’s definitely a derby atmosphere now when we play Leicester and Northampton. We've all moved up here now and it's good to have everyone in one place. To have everyone in the same areas is definitely better for the culture of the team.”

Wasps desperately need a win (Getty)

Wasps are looking to go one better than last season when they finished top of the Premiership table at the end of the regular season only to lose to Exeter in the final at Twickenham.

“It was the first 'proper' final this squad have been in,” Daly said. “We've probably learned a lot of lessons from that. Where we currently stand in the table is a good achievement considering the injuries we've had this year. This is where we said we wanted to be at the start of the season: in the top four chasing a semi-final. We want to perform well in the knock-out games but you can only do that if you get to the semi-finals first.”

On the field, Wasps look in good shape. Off it, things appear less secure.