Wasps coach Shaun Edwards is hoping Guinness Premiership leaders Gloucester do not field an under-strength side in their last match of the regular season against Bath on Saturday.

Wasps kept alive their hopes of a home semi-final in the play-offs thanks to a 32-13 bonus-point win over Newcastle at Kingston Park last night but need Bath to lose if they are to grab second place.

“We’ve given ourselves a chance to get a home semi,” said Edwards. “It will be interesting to see what team Gloucester put out at the weekend.

“I am sure they will go for it full tilt. They were top last year and I’m sure they will be very keen to come top again this year.”

An 80-metre try from England winger Paul Sackey was the highlight of a scrappy match in which a patched-up Newcastle pushed Wasps all the way.

His 44th-minute try followed first-half scores from flankers James Haskell and Tom Rees while left winger Josh Lewsey grabbed the all-important fourth try five minutes from the end to clinch a fifth successive away win that enabled Wasps to leapfrog Sale and Harlequins into third place.

England fly-half Danny Cipriani, nominated earlier in the day for the Professional Rugby Players’ Association players’ player of the year award, kicked five goals from six attempts to help clinch a third win of the season over the Falcons, but their first at Kingston Park for four years.

He was clearly still struggling from a chest infection, however, and was taken off just before the end, although he hopes to play against relegated Leeds on Saturday.

“He’s still not 100% and when you can’t train you probably need the matches to get the edge back,” said Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan.

“The better he feels, the more the match sharpness will be there because he’s been in outstanding form.

“It’s a pity he’s been laid low. He did well to play at all. He’s still not 100% now.

“We’ll review every player. We’re staying in the north and we’ll have a good look at how everybody is before the weekend.