It’s job done but plenty of room for improvement

POWERFUL scrummaging and a brace of Christian Wade tries saw Wasps to a scrappy win over spirited visitors Connacht.

However, Dai Young’s team could and probably should have doubled their sixtry tally, and there is certainly plenty of scope for improvement in the ten days which precede their Premiership opener against Sale.

Connacht dominated territorially in the early stages and after two abortive line-out drives they eventually worked hooker Tom McCartney into the corner with some slick handling.

Wasps turned possession over and conceded penalties with alarming regularity in the opening 15 minutes, and this presented their visitors with the field position from which winger Rory Scholes gathered a neat chip ahead and cruised over for a second Connacht try which Craig Ronaldson converted.

Stung into life, Wasps struck back almost immediately when Guy Thompson’s powerful carry allowed Wade to squeeze into the corner.

The second quarter loss of back-rowers Thompson and James Gaskell to injuries then gave Dai Young cause for concern, in an area where Wasps are already missing three players for their opening Premiership clash with Sale.

The hosts squandered a golden chance to bring the scores level when penalised for not releasing under the visitors’ posts, and also failed to convert a string of penalties, two closerange lineouts and a five-metre scrum into points during the closing stages of the first half.

Connacht changed almost their complete line-up at the break, and replacement centre Stacey Ili soon slipped Gaby Lovobalavu’s tackle to score a try which Steve Crosbie upgraded. Worse followed for the black-and-golds’ Fijian signing, who was yellow carded for an early tackle in pursuit of the restart.

Ashley Johnson’s frustration was palpable as he spilled the ball in the act of grounding following a powerfully driven lineout, however Connacht’s reprieve was only temporary as a repeat performance enabled Tom Cruse to touch down a score which Danny Cipriani upgraded.

Crosbie then landed a simple penalty to extend the visitors’ advantage to ten points, only for Wade to land his second score courtesy of a blistering 50 metre finish, again converted by Cipriani.

The hosts then took the lead for the first time with another blistering longrange try, initiated by a fine cut-out pass, continued by Joe Simpson’s burst and finished by Josh Bassett.

Cipriani again added the extras, as he did to a Brendan Macken try which was created by a set move from a lineout and Guy Armitage’s late score which followed a period of forward pressure.