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Jack Willis is ‘in the mix’ to feature for Wasps against Sale Sharks nine months after rupturing knee ligaments against Saracens in the 2017/18 Premiership semi-final loss to Saracens.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season for the Black and Golds across the back row, with his all-action performances earning him a first senior England call-up for the summer tour to South Africa days before the Allianz Park clash.

It was shortly before half-time in Wasps' 57-33 when Willis suffered the significant knee injury following a tackle from Saracens and England star Owen Farrell.

The versatile back row has been part of the travelling non-playing squad to Worcester Warriors and Bristol Bears in recent weeks, but looks set to get his first minutes of the season during Saturday’s Ricoh Arena encounter.

(Image: 2017 Getty Images)

“Jack Willis is back in the mix,” said Wasps director of rugby Dai Young.

“He’s come back ahead of schedule, the medical team has done a great job with him as they do with everybody and I am really proud of the medical team we have got here.

“We keep them busy that’s for sure. You’ve got to give so much credit to Jack, they’re the ones that push the pace when it comes to rehab, they determine how quickly they can get through it.

“He’s been back training for three weeks to build his confidence up. There is a confidence factor with a nasty injury, I don’t think he would have been too far off playing last week but we wanted to make sure with that extra week of training to give him that extra bit of confidence.

“You can’t expect him to hit the ground running and be the player he was straight away but we don’t think it will take that long as he is that type of player. He’s really looking forward to getting back on the field and we’re really pleased to have him back in the mix.”

Jimmy Gopperth, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Kieran Brookes and Alex Rieder updates

Young confirmed that winger Marcus Watson is available to face Sale and gave updates on four other injured stars.

He said: “Jimmy [Gopperth] is about a month, away, but he is on course,” said Young, who has been without the influential Kiwi since he injured his knee against Connacht in pre-season.

“The next couple of weeks will be big, it will either accelerate it or otherwise.

"Brookesy [Kieran Brookes] and Jake Cooper-Woolley are not far off the Gloucester game, that's roughly by where they will be, "Jimmy will be a week or two after that."

Brookes has been out with an ankle injury suffered against Bath in December while fellow tighthead Cooper-Woolley injured a thumb against Worcester Warriors earlier this month.

Flanker Alex Rieder, who has been out since suffering a serious knee injury just minutes into his comeback from a long-term shoulder issue against Exeter Chiefs a year ago, could feature again before the end of the season.

"Alex is just going through his rehab, he was never due to be back until March really, I've not heard of anything changing really. I think he was looking around the Exeter game really," said Young.

"Players get targets six to eight weeks out and things change, it can either speed up or slow down, sometimes the internal targets change but it's very difficult to say that to the press because then they say 'oh you've got a setback'. It's so hard to determine.

"People get ill as well, during their rehab, and they're a week behind. Everything is going well with him."