Head coach Shaun Edwards believes London Wasps must beat London Irish at Wycombe on Sunday to keep their season alive.

The reigning Guinness Premiership champions are eighth in the table, 14 points off the fourth and final play-off place held by Harlequins, although they do have at least one game in hand on most clubs.

Irish are third and looking a much better bet to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season and Edwards admitted: "This match is massively important and we have to win to have any hope of making the Heineken Cup or the play-offs.

"They beat us in the opening match of the season at Twickenham by showing more aggression at the break down and we have to match that this week if we are to come out on top."

The Irish clash has gained extra importance following Wasps' 13-12 defeat at Worcester on Saturday, a match which neither Edwards or director of rugby Ian McGeechan attended because of their international commitments with Wales and the British Lions.

However, Edwards insisted their absence did not affect the team and said: "We had two very capable and experience members of the coaching team watching Wasps at Worcester and I was never going to be at the game.

"By the time the Wales game with France on Friday night was over and we got to the after-match dinner it was 1am and I left at 3am not having had a single drink.

"It was unreasonable to try and get to Worcester by 3pm when the Eurostar drops you off some way from there!

"The team were in very capable hands and last season I missed two games and we won both by a single point. A coach's input on match day is massively overrated and what we do as a coaching team in the week is the important factor here."