Sharks leave Wasps failing
SALE WASPS 28 18
WASPS suffered a third defeat in four games as late drama saw Paolo Odogwu awarded a red card ad AJ MacGInty fire over his side’s seventh successful penalty to deny the visitors the consolation of a losing bonus point.
The Black and Golds conceded 20 penalties across the Friday night encounter with Robert du Preez dispatching five of them and American MacGinty on target with two following his return from the Rugby World Cup.
Defeat at the AJ Bell denied Dai Young’s men from claiming back-toback wins following their Ricoh Arena victory over Bath in round three after successive losses to London Irish and Gloucester Rugby.
Robert du Preez’s first successful three pointer opened the scoring before Wasps roared back with a 20-metres rolling maul that pushed Sione Vailanu over for his first Gallagher Premiership try, converted by Lima Sopoaga.
Any momentum was soon lost when Jimmy Gopperth’s pass was intercepted on half-way and Daniel du Preez, after a neat exchange of passes, dotted down for a try Robert du Preez improved to level the scores with 20 minutes on the clock.
Two more du Preez penalties either side of half-time opened a sixpoint lead in what proved to be a hugely dramatic second half.
The try of the game and a moment of rare class in a stop-start evening arrived when Sopoaga switched play and Matteo Minozzi, in only his second match for Wasps, danced infield and Nizaam Carr kept the ball moving. Tommy Taylor’s looped pass found Zach Kibirige with plenty to do. The former Newcastle Falcon chipped behind enemy lines before sliding over for an unconverted try and Wasps were within a point.
Two more du Preez penalties put Sale 22-15 ahead entering the final quarter of the match. With Jack Willis now on the pitch Wasps attempted to play their way back into the game and another replacement, Billy Searle, knocked over a penalty and reduced the deficit to four with 15 minutes to play.
It wasn’t to inspire a late fightback as MacGinty re-established Sale’s seven-point lead and when Odogwu jumped for a high ball and his out-stretched boot smashed into the face of Rohan Janse van Rensburg. Referee Tom Foley issued a straight red and MacGinty’s final penalty took Wasps out of losing bonus point territory.
Ultimately Wasps were made to pay for their crippling penalty count that allowed Sale to continue ticking the scoreboard over and inflict a damaging defeat on Wasps heading into next week’s trip to Bordeaux in the European Challenge Cup.