Thursday 11 August 2016 15:45, UK
Kurtley Beale is on course for a Wasps debut in November but will not be rushed back thanks to "bonus" signing Kyle Eastmond, according to director of rugby Dai Young.
Australia playmaker Beale suffered a patella tendon injury when playing for the Waratahs in May which will delay his keenly-anticipated Wasps bow.
The 27-year-old remains on track to return to action before the turn of the year though, and should link up with Wasps in the next few weeks.
Wasps pounced to sign Eastmond last month after the England centre left Bath, in a deal that Young admitted plugs several injury concerns ahead of next month's Aviva Premiership season kick-off.
We're a fair bit early yet but so far everything's gone to plan and he's exactly where we want him to be.
"He's hoping to arrive in the next couple of weeks with us but though it's a long process he's where he should be," said Young.
"And everything is in the place that we expected. He'll come over and start his running and so on.
"The good thing is the injury wasn't as bad as first feared, but it's very hard to put a figure on it. We're hoping he's going to be back in November but it could be December.
"We're a fair bit early yet but so far everything's gone to plan and he's exactly where we want him to be."
Mike Ford's exit as boss of Bath led to Eastmond leaving the Recreation Ground outfit last month, with Wasps quickly securing the 27-year-old's services.
Young admitted he has long admired Eastmond's playmaking abilities and was relieved to add the former rugby league star to his ranks.
Eastmond's arrival helps offset Samoa centre Alapati Leiua's continued recovery from knee trouble and Andrea Masi's Achilles injury-enforced retirement.
"Kyle's signing was a bonus, without a shadow of a doubt," said Young.
"Andrea Masi retiring was a blow for us, we expected him to be on board, and Kurtley Beale being injured, we didn't expect that.
"Alapati probably won't be fit until the end of September, perhaps October, so all of a sudden we were looking a bit bare in the centres really.
"And Kyle to all intents and purposes was committed elsewhere. So his signing coming about when it did, that was a bit of a bonus really.
"He plays the game that we'd like to play: he's a great distributor, he's a great link player and he's an individual threat himself as well."
