Wasps roar into Champions Cup Quarter-Finals

Wasps put last weekend’s last-gasp heartbreak firmly behind them with a dazzling performance to secure a bonus point win against the three-times European Cup winners. 


51 - 10
WaspsLeinster

Sat 23rd January 2016
3:15 pm

Ricoh Arena StadiumEuropean Rugby Champions Cup

After conceding an early try, the Men in Black and Gold came back with two tries in quick succession and led 15-10 at the break. In a dominant second half, they added five further tries in scoring 36 unanswered points to sweep the Dubliners aside. The icing on the cake came with the news that Toulon had missed out on a bonus point in their win at Bath, meaning Wasps end up as pool winners, ahead of the reigning champions on their head-to-head results. Wasps must now wait on the Exeter-Ospreys result, to know whether they will have a home quarter-final.

Wasps began brightly, with some excellent controlled play taking them through a series of phases, before a penalty was conceded just outside the Leinster 22. The visitors took a quick tap and moved the ball out wide to the left. A long kick ahead put the defence under pressure and quick recycled possession saw the ball moved out wide to the right, where Zane Kirchner went over in the corner, with just under three minutes played. Johnny Sexton’s conversion was off target.

Wasps were immediately dealt another blow, when Joe Simpson took a heavy knock and was helped from the field, with Dan Robson taking his place.

With Leinster skipper Johnny Sexton off the field for a head injury assessment, Wasps sent two penalties towards the right corner. The second set up a series of drives, before enough defenders were sucked in to create an overlap on the left and Jimmy Gopperth went over for a well-constructed try. His conversion put Wasps 7-5 ahead, after 13 minutes.

A minute later, Leinster sent a penalty to the corner but the Wasps' pack sent them back ten metres, before the ball was released. Excellent defensive pressure forced a knock on, which Wasps gathered for Elliot Daly to clear downfield and a strong chase made Leinster rush the ball into touch. George Smith broke round the front of the lineout, his inside pass was intercepted but a Leinster pass was then intercepted by Dan Robson. Robson just managed to stay infield, before delivering an inside pass to Joe Launchbury who ran in from 20 metres to go over for a try in the left corner. Gopperth’s touchline conversion hit the post leaving Wasps 12-5 up, after 18 minutes.

After a powerful Leinster drive from a lineout a few metres inside their own half forced Wasps back over halfway, the visitors built up the pressure, with a series of passes taking them close to the line before they conceded a penalty. A jinking run by Charles Piutau then set up a Wasps counterattack from their own 22, but a stray pass was intercepted by Luke Fitzgerald. He was brought down a few metres out and Lorenzo Cittadini was shown a yellow card for an offence at the breakdown. With Leinster opting for the scrum, Cittadini’s place was taken by Jake Cooper-Woolley, making a welcome return after injury, with Frank Halai leaving the field to make way for him.

From the scrum Leinster attacked the blind side. The Wasps defence appeared to have forced them into touch, but the ball was somehow kept in play and Eoin Reddan gathered to dive over from close range. Cathal Marsh missed the conversion, leaving Wasps 12-10 ahead, with eight minutes of the half to play.

From the restart, Wasps applied the pressure with skipper James Haskell charging into the 22. A series of phases set up Jimmy Gopperth for a 30-metre drop at goal from in front of the posts, but he pulled his kick wide to the left. Despite being a man down Wasps remained camped in Leinster territory and the pressure eventually yielded a penalty in the 22 in front of the posts. Gopperth made no mistake, to stretch the lead to 15-10. Cittadini then returned from the sin bin and a minute later the half-time whistle blew.

After Josh Bassett was taken out in the air, directly from the restart, Wasps stormed downfield, with Dan Robson’s darting run being stopped just short of the line. A penalty ensued and Gopperth’s straightforward kick extended the lead to 18-10.

Almost immediately, a loop move on halfway put MOTM Elliot Daly clear and he raced 40 metres for a glorious try in the corner. Gopperth landed a fine conversion and Wasps were now 15 points clear with 34 minutes to secure a bonus point and all but guarantee a quarter-final place. They were immediately reminded of Leinster’s attacking threat, when Rob Kearney produced a scintillating run from inside his own half to take play deep into the Wasps 22.

With 53 minutes gone, Wasps had the bonus point in the bag. A penalty in the corner gave them a lineout and an unstoppable drive was brought down on the line. The referee went between the posts for a penalty try and Gopperth’s conversion put Wasps 32-10 ahead.

Wasps were now threatening to run amok with some passing that would not have looked out of place in a sevens game. Wave after wave of attack, in which Joe Launchbury and Sam Jones both went close ended with Elliot Daly’s long pass sending Frank Halai over in the right corner. Another super Gopperth conversion put Wasps out of sight at 39-10 with 18 minutes still to play.

Wasps then began to unload the bench, introducing the power of Ashley Johnson, Jake Cooper-Woolley and Nathan Hughes. Joe Launchbury left the field to a huge ovation, to be replaced by James Gaskell.

Ten minutes from time, a Leinster move broke down on halfway and Charles Piutau gathered the loose ball to race clear of the defence for Wasps’ sixth try. Ruaridh Jackson, on for Gopperth, added the conversion, to make the score 46-10.

With time running out, Wasps pressed for a score to bring up the 50. With a minute to go, Ashley Johnson forced his way over near the left corner. Ruaridh Jackson’s missed conversion was the final act of a memorable display. The Bath result was then announced, and the crowd erupted with joy as they absorbed the news that Wasps had come out on top of the ultimate Pool of Death.

Wasps Line ups

  1. Matt Mullan
  2. Ed Shervington
  3. Lorenzo Cittadini
  4. Joe Launchbury
  5. Bradley Davies
  6. James Haskell
  7. George Smith
  8. Sam Jones
  9. Joe Simpson
  10. Jimmy Gopperth
  11. Frank Halai
  12. Brendan Macken
  13. Elliot Daly
  14. Josh Bassett
  15. Charles Piutau
  16. Ashley Johnson
  17. Tom Bristow
  18. Jake Cooper-Woolley
  19. James Gaskell
  20. Nathan Hughes
  21. Dan Robson
  22. Ruaridh Jackson
  23. Rob Miller

Leinster Line ups

  1. Jack McGrath
  2. Sean Cronin
  3. Martin Moore
  4. Devin Toner
  5. Rhys Ruddock
  6. Dominic Ryan
  7. Jordi Murphy
  8. Jamie Heaslip
  9. Eoin Reddan
  10. Jonathan Sexton
  11. Dave Kearney
  12. Noel Reid
  13. Luke Fitzgerald
  14. Zane Kirchner
  15. Rob Kearney
  16. Richardt Strauss
  17. Peter Dooley
  18. Michael Bent
  19. Ross Molony
  20. Josh Van Der Flier
  21. Isaac Boss
  22. Cathal Marsh
  23. Ben Te'o