Six-try win keeps momentum moving

On an afternoon when the Ricoh Arena was finally blessed by sunshine, blue skies and no wind or rain, Wasps took advantage of the perfect conditions to run in six tries against their oldest rivals and notch up their sixth consecutive Premiership win - their best run in eight years.


42 - 10
WaspsHarlequins

Sun 28th February 2016
3:15 pm

Ricoh Arena StadiumAviva Premiership

The bonus point consolidated their third place in the table, five points ahead of Northampton and Quins.

Almost from the kick off, Wasps set the crowd roaring when Kearnan Myall exploded from a breakdown inside his own 22. He burst through a tackle to make 20 metres but his offload to fellow lock James Cannon was knocked on.

Wasps won a penalty at the resultant scrum and Jimmy Gopperth’s kick set up an attacking line-out just inside the Quins 22. Although the ball was stolen by a Quins jumper, Wasps won a turnover and moved the ball quickly, with both Jake Cooper-Woolley and Nathan Hughes punching holes in the defence. After several phases built up the pressure, Wasps unfortunately knocked on a few metres from the line.

Wasps continued to display their attacking intent, with Jimmy Gopperth and Siale Piutau looking threatening, but a penalty in midfield took Quins into the Wasps 22 for the first time. Their driving lineout took them infield and to within five metres of the line, before the ball was lost in contact.

Despite the perfect conditions, both sides were guilty of handling errors, leading to a series of scrums. With 18 minutes gone, Wasps turned down a kickable penalty to go for the corner and the driving lineout was joined by several of the three-quarters to take play to within a metre of the line, before the ball popped out unexpectedly, with the referee playing advantage. 

Two further penalties ensued, but Wasps lost the second lineout and Quins were able to clear to outside the 22. From the lineout Frank Halai came into the line to take play into the 22. Following a powerful charge by Thomas Young, Dan Robson darted round the edge of a breakdown to come within a whisker of the opening try. A scrum followed and after a series of phases took play infield, Jake Cooper-Woolley powered his way over for a try near the posts. Jimmy Gopperth added the conversion to make it 7-0 after 23 minutes.

Quins were under pressure again when Nathan Hughes burst down the middle of the field, before feeding Dan Robson. The scrum-half kicked ahead but Ben Botica did well to gather and clear to touch-in-goal under intense pressure from Robson and Christian Wade. After Wasps won the line-out and moved infield, the ball was frustratingly spilt a few metres from the line.

12 minutes before the break, a strong Siale Piutau run took play close to the Quins' line. Cooper-Woolley came within a few inches of a second try, before superb quick hands by Charles Piutau delivered the ball to Christian Wade, who darted round the defence for a try, which Gopperth converted taking the score to 14-0.

Quins responded with menace and a series of drives for the line stretched the Wasps defence, eventually yielding a penalty. They went for the corner and the powerful drive took them over in the left corner, with Luke Wallace at the bottom of the pile of bodies. Botica missed the touchline conversion.

Wasps produced the perfect response after a sizzling burst by Christian Wade was stopped by a last-ditch tackle, a few metres short of the right corner.  Play came back across the field and Nathan Hughes eventually forced his way over. Gopperth again converted to stretch the lead to 21-5. It was now all Wasps, as they continued to move the ball at every opportunity. At one point, Jake Cooper-Woolley found himself in acres of space in midfield trying to gather a high pass.

There was time for another scintillating run by Christian Wade after he gathered a kick inside his own 22, and a weaving run by Dan Robson before the end of the half.

Quins started the second half with fullback Ross Chisholm’s impressive run out of defence. They controlled possession for the first few minutes of the half before conceding a penalty at an attacking line-out, deep inside the Wasps 22.

After ten minutes of Quins' pressure, Wasps posed their first threat of the half when Rob Miller took a short inside pass at speed, to split the defence. He fed Nathan Hughes, who made further ground before another pass went to ground, deep inside the 22. Wasps were then penalised at the scrum and scrum-half Tito Tebaldi made a penetrating run from the line-out. He made 40 metres before chipping ahead into the 22. Wasps were penalised at the breakdown, Quins kicked to the corner, won the lineout and moved the ball out wide, where Charlie Matthews made the most of an overlap to go over for a try near the left corner. Botica missed the difficult conversion.

Wasps came close to a fourth try, when MOTM Jake Cooper-Woolley produced a glorious dummy to split the defence. It so surprised Christian Wade that the winger couldn't hang on to his pass. Minutes later, the bonus point was secured when some superb close passing between Ashley Johnson, Wade and Thomas Young ended with the flanker going over near the right corner. Gopperth made light of the tricky conversion to stretch the Wasps lead to 28-10, as the game entered the final quarter.

A fifth try came on 67 minutes, after Frank Halai’s midfield burst sent  Siale Piutau powering over for his first try for Wasps. Gopperth added the extra points, to keep up his 100% record from the tee. With the game safe, Wasps cleared the bench and Gopperth’s replacement Alex Lozowski was soon involved with a run to set up an attack down the right. George Smith sent a kick downfield, and Ross Chisholm did well to gather and deny Christian Wade his second try of the day.

Four minutes from time, it was Wade’s turn to produce an outstanding piece of defence when he held Charlie Walker up over the line, after the Quins winger had crossed  in the left corner. A minute later, another searing attack down the left almost brought a sixth Wasps try but they were penalised in the shadow of the Quins' posts.

With the clock at zero, Wasps set the seal on another fine display when Frank Halai again came off his wing to split the midfield defence and send Brendan Macken over for their sixth try. Alex Lozowski's conversion made the final score 42-10.

Wasps Line ups

  1. Matt Mullan
  2. Carlo Festuccia
  3. Jake Cooper-Woolley
  4. James Cannon
  5. Kearnan Myall
  6. Thomas Young
  7. George Smith
  8. Nathan Hughes
  9. Dan Robson
  10. Jimmy Gopperth
  11. Frank Halai
  12. Siale Piutau
  13. Charles Piutau
  14. Christian Wade
  15. Rob Miller
  16. Ashley Johnson
  17. Tom Bristow
  18. Phil Swainston
  19. Will Rowlands
  20. Alex Rieder
  21. Jamie Stevenson
  22. Alex Lozowski
  23. Brendan Macken

Harlequins Line ups

  1. Mark Lambert
  2. Rob Buchanan
  3. Adam Jones
  4. George Merrick
  5. James Horwill
  6. James Chisholm
  7. Luke Wallace
  8. Matt Luamanu
  9. Tito Tebaldi
  10. Ben Botica
  11. Charlie Walker
  12. Harry Sloan
  13. Winston Stanley
  14. Marland Yarde
  15. Ross Chisholm
  16. Dave Ward
  17. Owen Evans
  18. Kyle Sinckler
  19. Charlie Matthews
  20. Beau Robinson
  21. Sam Egerton
  22. Tim Swiel
  23. Matt Hopper