Since Rob Andrew seems to be playing the Aunt Sally role in English rugby at the moment, he may as well bear the blame for yesterday’s incident at his old club. Barely had Tony Copsey, chief executive at London Wasps, mentioned Andrew’s name in a roll call of influential former Wasps players than the sign behind him collapsed on to the top table of Copsey, Ian McGeechan, Shaun Edwards and Raphaël Ibañez.

If that is the worst that befalls the champion club this season, they will be grateful. They are operating, as usual, with a squad pared to the bone from which England will remove significant numbers for, potentially, half the Guinness Premiership season that begins on Saturday. Nine Wasps players are in the elite national squad and five in the Saxons. There would be little margin for error amid injuries.

“This season is still out of kilter for a club that supports England,” McGeechan, the director of rugby, said. “We have players coming in who will be blooded, like Hugo Ellis [the England Under 20 No 8 and captain] and it’s a big season for individuals like Dom Waldouck [the centre, who toured with England this summer].

“But our business model is not recognised in the way it should be, the income streams we have are not fully open to us. That has been decided by others, which is unfortunate. If producing players for England is part of your philosophy, financially that should be recognised.”

McGeechan’s grouse is with the decision taken as a collective by the Premiership clubs that the compensation paid by the RFU when players are on international duty is divided among them all, even those who are not producing England players. Copsey estimates that the worst-case scenario for Wasps is the loss of £750,000, although the new agreement does allow for increased financial incentives as it rolls on.

But not all is gloomy: for the first time Wasps have reached 5,000 season-ticket sales and Copsey was adamant that Adams Park, in High Wycombe, will be full to the rafters at every home game this season. It is one of rugby’s mysteries that, for all their success on the field over the past 12 years, Wasps average no more than 8,700 at their 10,000-capacity ground. The club’s five-year business plan is based on a gradual improvement of the Adams Park facilities and the local council is examining the potential at a nearby airfield. Copsey acknowledged the possibility of a new stadium within a ten-year time frame; consideration has been given to Dartford Crossing and the new Olympic site in East London, but the club’s preference for West London suggests greater potential in High Wycombe or Brentford.

A move back to London is by no means out of the question and Law-rence Dallaglio, the club’s new associate director, will be involved in shaping the club’s commercial future.