Tom Rees claims wounded Newcastle pride could rebound on Wasps tonight and seriously damage his club's hopes of a fourth Guinness Premiership success in six seasons.

Wasps won three successive titles immediately following the introduction of the play-off format in 2003.

But no club have done so without claiming home advantage in the semi-finals. Rees and his team-mates need a maximum 10 points from tonight's game at Kingston Park and Saturday's trip to Leeds to have any chance of overtaking second-placed Bath.

But Newcastle could prove an unexpected stumbling block. Despite their lowly position, the decision to rest Johnny Wilkinson and the fall-out caused by the imminent departures of Mathew Tait, Toby Flood and Ben Woods, the Falcons could be tough to beat.

Flood and Tait were furious that their mentor, John Fletcher, was sacked while they were away on England duty. Tait will join Sale next season, while Flood is set to follow Woods to Leicester.

"Newcastle had a team of very talented young English guys and while they hadn't been a huge force, they were building towards something," said England flanker Rees.

"You'd expect them to be in turmoil but by all accounts they were very good when they beat Leicester last weekend. It's now about a group of guys enjoying what little time they have left of the pitch with each other. It's certainly not good news for us."

To complicate the equation, Wasps need to have enough left in the tank once the knock-out stages start, so boss Ian McGeechan has opted to rest players, including skipper Lawrence Dallaglio and lock Simon Shaw, for tonight's game.

"You simply can't go full-out every week," said Rees, who lines up with stand-in captain John Hart and James Haskell in the back-row.

"We have such an involved run-in you have to be mindful of the size of your squad and make the most of it. It is difficult because you have to be aware of where you stand in the table. In the past we have been to Biarritz in the Heineken Cup needing a bonus point and you can focus on that so much that you end up losing the game." Pat Barnard has recovered from a knee injury to start at tighthead, while George Skivington and Richard Birkett form a new second-row.

Dominic Waldouck comes into midfield, Riki Flutey switches to full- back and Josh Lewsey replaces Tom Voyce on the wing.