United as a group by Cipriani's embarrassing tabloid stories, Wasps need to keep that strong bond against Clermont

This has been a very unusual week for London Wasps. It started on Sunday morning when texts started arriving on my mobile urging me to buy a certain tabloid newspaper.

I have to admit that I was intending to buy that paper anyway following the previous Sunday's story about my team-mate Danny Cipriani and a "liaison" he was reported to have had with Miss Larissa Summers while going out with Monica Irimia, one of the Cheeky Girls.

As a result of the latest revelations, Danny - or to give him his new name Danny Cipriani Who Slept With A Man - was responsible for the biggest turnout ever for a Wasps recovery session on a Sunday after a match.

Now, while the young man took considerable stick from the guys over the story which revealed that Larissa had started life as Darren Pratt, the response was tempered by the front-row boys.

They were in a bit of difficult position as, having responded to the original story by congratulating Danny, they now felt implicated by the whole "it was a man" thing. You could argue that he got off lightly and, to give DCWSWAM credit, he handled himself really well.

I have been keeping a low profile because I know that if you rip into a team-mate, it's not very long before the tables are turned - although the particulars of his case are rather unique.

With DCWSWAM allowed to train without constant ridicule, the emphasis quickly switched to another major topic this week: playing against Clermont Auvergne and the "Great Snitch" in the Heineken Cup in France on Saturday.

The "Snitch" in question is Alex King, who left Wasps at the end of last season and somehow convinced the medical men at Clermont that he was in a prime condition, despite barely limping on to the pitch with his dodgy knee to help us win the Heineken Cup against Leicester at Twickenham.

There has been a lot of speculation outside Wasps about what impact Kingy would have on the match because he, better than anyone, understands our defensive system. However, I am not worried about what he has been able to tell the Clermont coaches.

While he is the perfect snitch to have in your team, the system we use means that if it's done well then there isn't a lot you can do to stop it. It's only fragile when people are half-hearted or don't have their game heads on.

When people are totally focused, then I don't see a way around our defensive line unless the opposition produce a miraculous pass or a moment of sheer genius to unlock it.

Kingy, after 11 years at Wasps, wanted to experience something different and I was concerned he had left it too long to do this because he could barely walk at the end of the season.

It was miraculous he made the Cup final and I know that when he turned up for his medical at Clermont he had been on a couple of stag do's and attended a few weddings so the fat test showed he was up there with the props!

He was offered the chance to shift the extra weight he was carrying before pre-season training or get up at 6am with the Clermont physios.

Needless to say, Kingy reported ready for action and I really do hope he gets onto the pitch. If I do get close to him at a ruck I will endeavour to lie on him for as long as possible.

We have real momentum going into this game and if we can get something from this really tough away match then it will put us in a great position in what is a very hard pool.

One thing is for sure; the first thing the boys will be doing after landing back in London is to see if there is anything else we need to talk to DCWSWAM about.