LONDON WASPS 35

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 29

Guinness Premiership Round 21

Adams Park

Sunday, April 15, 2007

It wasn't the best possible start for Saints as Wasps held up the first maul to win a scrum. Youngsters Danny Cipriani and Dom Waldouck combined with the latter breaking the initial line. But Paul Diggin was in an anticipatory mood and intercepted the pass to allow Saints to clear.

The visitors' first attack demonstrated the value of playing in dry conditions as Bruce Reihana, Mark Robinson, Daniel Browne and Sean Lamont combined down the blindside. And when Wasps came offside in midfield Carlos Spencer stepped up to score the first points.

But Spencer suffered a blow following a grubber kick in Saints' next attack. Diggin combined with Ben Lewitt to break through and with the former All Black receiving treatment Reihana slotted three more points.

Unfortunately two penalties conceded by the visitors in quick succession had Wasps on the offensive on the five-metre line. The ball was tied in by the forwards then spun left to Josh Lewsey. And the breakthrough came in midfield when Fraser Waters broke through the blitz defence to score between the sticks. Mark Van Gisbergen converted and Wasps were in front 7-6.

Reihana made it 7-9 in the 17th minute but while he was doing so Spencer finally succumbed to his injury and was replaced by Luke Myring. Saints suffered a second such blow four minutes later when John Brooks stayed down after an impressive charge to be replaced by Soane Tonga'uhia.

Nevertheless Lady Luck was smiling in Wasps' next attack when Van Gisbergen, who had Lewsey running at pace outside him, passed into touch. There was no such mistake from Sackey on the right wing in the next passage of play to Cipriani. Indeed the fly-half touched down, but on the dead ball line, and Saints escaped again.

Van Gisbergen re-took the lead just past the half-hour but missed from further out two minutes later. And Saints were handed a further lifeline when Lewsey was penalised for holding on in the tackle and received a yellow card. Reihana slotted the penalty and Saints were back in front 10-12.

There was also a moment of vintage Ben Cohen in the run-up to half-time when he relieved immense pressure by breaking 50 metres from a ruck inside his 22. But it was Wasps who received a reprieve on the stroke of half-time when Reihana missed his fourth attempt, leaving the score Wasps 10, Saints 12.

Saints had the perfect platform to build on when replacement Joe Worsley dropped the kick-off. But just as the visiting pack were building up a head of steam Simon Shaw ripped the ball and fed Worsley. So often the destroyer of Saintly hopes Worsley made a massive break through midfield. And when the ball was spun right Sackey was on hand to score.

Though Reihana reduced the deficit by three Saints suffered another setback when Cohen was sent to the sin bin. Cipriani this time made no mistake when presented with another opportunity in the subsequent play, selling two dummies on his way to the line. Van Gisbergen converted both and Wasps were virtually out of sight at 24-15.

The bonus point try followed four minutes later thanks to Sackey. But Saints gave hope to a fightback three minutes after that when a powerful forward drive close to the hosts' gave Dylan Hartley the platform to bullock his way over for a deserved try. Reihana converted from the touchline and Saints were back to within seven points.

Then with 13 minutes left Christian Labit, who had already been to the fore in his six minutes, barged his way over for a try. The opportunity had been set up by Cohen's magnificent diagonal kick and another kick (albeit retaken thanks to an early charge), this time from Reihana, pulled the scores level.

Cipriani missed a long-range penalty but Van Gisbergen made no mistake from closer range. It was an unlucky penalty to concede as Myring's 22-metre drop-out had rolled touch in goal but nevertheless gave Saints everything to do at 32-29.

And though the visitors tried, Van Gisbergen's third penalty extended the lead to six points. Saints had one final throw of the dice from a scrum but Reihana was penalised for holding on, Wasps cleared and a losing point was all Saints took home.

Teams:
London Wasps - Van Gisbergen; Sackey (Erinle 68mins), Waters, Waldouck, Lewsey; Cipriani, Reddan; Vickery (capt), Ibanez, Bracken (Adams 68mins), Shaw (Birkett 56mins), Palmer, Leo (Worsley 40mins), O'Connor, Haskell.

Northampton Saints - Diggin (Mallon 76mins); Lamont, Clarke, Reihana (capt), Cohen; Spencer (Myring 16mins), Robinson (Howard 61mins); Smith (Cortese 76mins), Hartley, Brooks (Tonga'uhia 21mins), Damien Browne (Gerard 69mins), Short, Tupai, Lewitt, Daniel Browne (Labit 61mins).

Scorers:
London Wasps - Tries: Waters, Sackey (2), Cipriani; Cons: Van Gisbergen (3); Pens: Van Gisbergen (3).

Northampton Saints - Tries: Hartley, Labit; Cons: Reihana (2); Pens: Spencer, Reihana (4).

Yellow card:
Lewsey (35mins)
Cohen (49mins)

Attendance:
8,053

TIMELINE:
4mins SAINTS Pen Spencer 0-3
7mins SAINTS Pen Reihana 0-6
12mins WASPS Try Waters Con Van Gisbergen 7-6
17mins SAINTS Pen Reihana 7-9
31mins WASPS Pen Van Gisbergen 10-9
35mins WASPS Yellow card Lewsey
36mins SAINTS Pen Reihana 10-12
HALF-TIME WASPS 10 SAINTS 12
44mins WASPS Try Sackey Con Van Gisbergen 17-12
47mins SAINTS Pen Reihana 17-15
49mins SAINTS Yellow card Cohen
50mins WASPS Try Cipriani Con Van Gisbergen 24-15
54mins WASPS Try Sackey 29-15
57mins SAINTS Try Hartley Con Reihana 29-22
67mins SAINTS Try Labit Con Reihana 29-29
72mins WASPS Pen Van Gisbergen 32-29
78mins WASPS Pen Van Gisbergen 35-29
FULL-TIME WASPS 35 SAINTS 29