Wasps have started the new domestic season as they mean to go on after a attacking masterclass in the Premiership Rugby 7s, according to Marcus Watson.

The Coventry-based side came up just short in their bid for the first silverware of the 2019/20 campaign after losing out to Saracens in the final for the second year running.

But with 197 points and 31 tries from their five games, Wasps certainly laid down a marker to their 11 rivals with free-flowing rugby during the tournament.

And Olympic sevens silver medallist Watson has warned the rest of the English top flight to expect more of the same when the Premiership Rugby Cup and Gallagher Premiership Rugby campaigns kick off.

“Sevens is a very difficult game, it’s such a short period of time that little momentum shifts can change a lot and that’s pretty much what happened in the final,” said Watson

“It just ran away from us in the end but I thought the boys were absolutely class. I think Callum Sirker and Paolo Odogwu scoring the tries were fantastic, Will Wilson was also unbelievable.

“Will worked so hard in the middle in the captaincy role but there were plenty of great performances out there – we just got pipped in the end by the better team.

🎥 “We put in some great performances and it was a good opportunity to gel as a team.”
@willwilson1997 was full of praise for his teammates after an impressive @premrugby 7s showing… pic.twitter.com/0lY7flkBOR

— Wasps Rugby (@WaspsRugby) September 14, 2019

“We’ve spoken in pre-season about playing like the old Wasps, where we scored a lot of tries, and that’s one thing we’re aiming to do this season, we’ve definitely started off that way.

“With some of the wheels we had and the skills in the middle with Ben Vellacott and Will Porter, we moved the ball around nicely and showed what gas we’ve got.”

Watson put his sevens experience to good use as he took on a coaching role for the season-opening tournament – and he was impressed with what he saw from Wasps’ young guns.

“There were a lot of young boys playing here, I think the oldest was 24, and I think they will be looking forward to these next four games in the Premiership Rugby Cup,” he said.

“They are likely to get a run out and if we go by how they’ve performed in the Premiership Rugby 7s, I’m sure they will put in good displays in the Cup and give everything they have.

“It’s the second time I’ve taken on the coaching role, but the first time properly, and I got into it a lot more than I thought I would to be honest, I really enjoyed it.

“It’s a strange feeling after a loss, not playing and losing, but I enjoyed it and it’s the first time I can say I’m proud of the boys – although it feels weird me saying that.”

Wasps will play their first 15s game next weekend when they host Saracens in the opening round of the Premiership Rugby Cup – an encounter Watson said cannot come soon enough.

✨ Versatile back @Callum_Sirker starred for @WaspsRugby in their run to the #PremRugby7s final ✨

Are you expecting big things from him as he makes the step up into the first team 💪 pic.twitter.com/RD3mCXzfmb

— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) September 15, 2019

“We’ve had a very, very long pre-season and the boys are in good shape,” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to pre-season being over and getting into competitive games.”

“We’re going straight into competitive games and it’s always good to start the season off well. It’s always difficult in pre-season when you’re kind of getting some new stuff together.

“You then go into that first hit-out and see how it all goes together. It’s been looking good in training and now we just need to implement it on the pitch, next week will be a test for us.”

Watson will also have one eye on the Rugby World Cup in Japan, where brother Anthony will be attempting to help England win the trophy for the first time since 2003.

“I’ll be watching every game and hopefully he goes well, I’ve been impressed with him since he’s come back from injury,” he said. “Hopefully he has a good World Cup because he deserves it.

“I think England are in great shape and if you look at some of the warm-up matches – I don’t want to jinx it – but I believe England came out of those games the best of anyone.

“If they bring that into the World Cup they are going to be a hard team to beat, especially with the likes of Manu Tuilagi and Billy Vunipola running straight at people.”