Rugby Union: Wasps step up pace and overrun Ulster

Ulster 21 Wasps 38

Wasps continued to dominate this season's Heineken Cup as they hammered Ulster into submission at Ravenhill last night after the home side skipped into a 13-0 lead in the first 22 minutes.

The Ulster stand-off, Stuart Laing, kicked two penalties and also converted a breakaway try by left-wing Jan Cunningham, who anticipated a Wasps threequarter line movement, intercepting and sprinting 70 yards to the posts.

Once Wasps stepped up a gear, their fitness, strength and control told on the part-timers from Ireland. Rob Henderson scored the first of Wasps' five tries in the 31st minute, and that was quickly followed by another through left wing Shane Roiser. Garth Rees converted both to nudge Wasps into a one-point lead at half-time.

The English champions came out firing on all cylinders in the second half and further tries by Nick Greenstock, Michael White and Lawrence Dallaglio saw off Ulster, with Rees continuing to be spot on with his kicking, landing all three conversions and a penalty.

Ulster gained some consolation with Laing kicking his third penalty and Cunningham running in for his second try.

Ulster: Tries J Cunningham 2. Conversions Laing. Penalties Laing 3. Wasps: Tries Dallaglio, Greenstock, Henderson, Roiser, White. Conversions Rees 5. Penalties Rees.

l Bath and Wasps will provide almost half of England's Under-21 development squad. The 30-man group includes several players the England coach, Clive Woodward, has used in senior squad sessions at Bisham Abbey this season. The former England A coach, Keith Richardson, will take charge of the party.

ENGLAND UNDER-21 development squad: D Alexopoulos, J Beardshaw (both Wasps), J Brown (Coventry), R Bryan (Bath), D Harris (Moseley), C Horsman (Bath), J Lewsey (Bristol), L Lloyd (Leicester), A Long (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), M Perry (Bath), P Sampson (Wasps), K Sorrell, D Thompson (both Saracens), M Wood (Wasps), R Beattie (Newcastle), T Butler (Leicester), P Buxton (Moseley), J Ewens (Bath), P Ogilvie (Saracens), R Pellow, J Pritchard (both Bath), P Richards (London Irish), J Winterbottom (Wasps), I Belshaw (Bath), L Best (Richmond), J Lofthouse (West Hartlepool), J Wilkinson (Newcastle), J Worsley (Wasps), M Worsley (Bristol).