Wasps hold firm as Exiles miss out

London Irish 21 Wasps 31

The spirit is definitely willing, but the London Irish collective body cannot use that attitude to convert position, possession and pressure into points. Unfortunately for the Exiles, Wasps can and did, and second place in the Zurich Premiership this morning is testimony to that.

As spiritedly as they played in the opening hour, Irish were comprehensively kept at bay for three quarters of the match. True, the hooker Naka Drotske was held up over the line early on and Paul Sackey suffered a similar fate later in the match. But not until the final 20 minutes did London Irish remind the 9,000-odd spectators how well they can play when that spirit coalesced with mind and body.

Wasps were effulgent in attack, running the ball from anywhere and everywhere. Their exhilarating handling was a vast improvement on previous matches and Warren Gatland, their director of rugby, said as much. "That was easily the best we have played since I took over." But it was in defence that Wasps really excelled. From the superlative back row trio through the backs, pack and half-backs they held firm. It was fantastic to watch. They withstood the first six minutes camped on their ownline as Irish hammered away to no avail.

Everyone tackled their weight and much more. A perfect example came early on when the Irish prop Neal Hatley bulged into space, aiming at the gap between Alex King and Rob Howley. He was no doubt working on the premise that two halves make a hole. Sadly he got his maths wrong, and he was brought to an abrupt halt.

The midfield, the fringes, the flanks, long range, close range, it did not matter where Irish prodded they merely ran into a swarm of Wasps.

But they were unable to emulate their opponents when Wasps did mount attacks, more often than not prompted by the crafty scrum-half Howley, who is forming a near telepathic relationship with the excellent Lawrence Dallaglio at the base of the scrum.

Paul Sampson was the first to benefit when Howley took a tap penalty. The full-back thumped the ball upfield then tore after it, and won the race to touch down. Two minutes later a sly dart from close range earned Howley his first try for his new club.

Shane Roiser's try was the result of a brilliant break by the right wing, who was then on hand to take Dallaglio's pass out of the tackle a few phases later. Craig Dowd's third for the club and Wasps fourth on the day earned them a bonus point.

And all this before Irish had a point. They eventually kicked in too late to win the game, but in time to spare their blushes.

London Irish: Tries Worsley, Danaher 2; Conversions Everitt 2. Wasps: Tries Sampson, Howley, Roiser, Dowd; Conversions King 4; Penalty King.

London Irish: M Horak; P Sackey, N Burrows (M Mapletoft, 53), G Appleford, J Bishop; B Everitt, D Edwards (K Barrett, 78); N Hatley (M Worsley, 49), N Drotske, R Hardwick (P Durant, 63), R Strudwick (capt), R Casey (K Burke, 44), D Danaher, P Gustard, K Dawson.

Wasps: P Sampson; S Roiser, S Abbott (M van Guisbergen, 53-57, K Logan, 73), M Denney, J Lewsey; A King (M van Guisbergen, 73), R Howley (M Wood, 68); C Dowd (D Molloy, 68), P Greening (B Gotting, 68), W Green, S Shaw (J Beardshaw, 73), R Birkett, J Worsley, L Dallaglio (capt; M McCarthy, 78), P Volley.

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).