Controversy as Wasps return to winning ways
WASPS overcome their fair share of controversy to secure only their second win in eight Gallagher Premiership games.
Newcastle Falcons took a 12-point lead in at half-time courtesy of a questionable Marco Fuser try and a George Wacokecoke effort – which came after potential contact was made to the eyes of Wasps’ Josh Bassett by his opposite number Mateo Carreras. But the visitors roared back in the second-half as Brad Shields and Tom West crossed to claim a 20-18 victory to get Wasps’ season back on track.
Jimmy Gopperth marked becoming the oldest starting fly-half in Premiership history by landing a ninthminute penalty to cancel out Joel Hodgson’s earlier effort.
The first flashpoint arrived when Newcastle drove ominously towards
the line and Fuser was adjudged to have grounded the ball. Wasps captain Joe Launchbury immediately approached the referee but the decision stood. Hodgson added the extras and a penalty to open a tenpoint lead for the hosts.
Wasps enjoyed superior possession and territory in the first-half but their only try-scoring opportunity came when Bassett latched onto a Gopperth looping pass only to be held up. Video replays confirmed the
decision was correct, but appeared to reveal Carreras make eye contact with the Wasps winger’s eye. While no further action was taken, the incident was marked for a potential citing.
Gopperth knocked over three points from the penalty advantage before gifting Falcons their second try. His crossfield kick was picked off by Tom Penny who raced through an aching gap to put Wacokecoke over the line from close range.
Wasps’ response after the break was emphatic as Shields spotted a gap at an unguarded ruck to cross before they went in search of a second with Alfie Barbeary making his first appearance of the year from the bench.
Falcons lost both Greg Peterson and Michael Young to the sin-bin within a minute of each other as they struggled to repel the resurgent visitors. After some initial resistance, replacement prop West rolled over against the left upright to level the scores before Gopperth’s extras put Wasps ahead with less than 20 minutes to go.
The hosts would concede no further points in the period when they were at a two-man disadvantage and, once restored to the full complement, drove to within five metres of the Wasps line before the returning Barbeary earned a key breakdown penalty.
Wasps closed out the game to win by two points to return them to winning ways ahead of the visit of Sale Sharks to the Ricoh Arena next weekend.