Walkabout Wasps seal third but get warning from Young
WASPS showed their Jekyll and Hyde tendencies after appearing to be coasting to victory before shipping three tries in the final quarter to give Newcastle the scent of a famous comeback.
For much of the first hour, Wasps made hay in the Kingston Park sunshine to seal a third-place finish and a play-off semifinal at Saracens on May 19.
The Falcons, whose rise to prominence has breathed so much romance into this season’s Premiership, will travel to table-toppers and defending champions Exeter.
Wasps scored six tries, but the way they switched off in the final quarter will give Dai Young plenty to think about ahead of the Sarries showdown.
Director of rugby Young said: “Some of the subs came on who were pretty casual and some of the passing was poor.
“Newcastle got one try, then they are chasing another, and after 60 minutes our transition from attack to defence became really poor.
“That has been our Achilles heel and has pretty much been the story of our season since Christmas.
“We went to Sale, got in front after 60 minutes and lost it and went to Leicester and lost it after 60 minutes. We lost down at Quins too, which pretty much put us out of the European Champions Cup.
“I’ve just told the players that we aren’t going to win at Sarries with a 60-minute performance.”
Newcastle, missing a number of key men such as Toby Flood, Vereniki Goneva and Sinoti Sinoti, were some way below their best for the first hour here.
Boss Dean Richards said: “Wasps have some gifted footballers but we gave them time and space and it cost us.
“We’ve got a few boys out injured and ready to come back for the next game, but we’re going to have to step up from this performance.
“Beforehand, it was the most relaxed atmosphere I’ve ever seen at the club and that’s probably what cost us in the first half.”
Wasps hooker Tom Cruse charged down Josh Matavesi’s kick to put the visitors in front before Danny Cipriani’s long pass sent England wing Elliot Daly strolling over in the left corner.
Cipriani added a third when he showed strength to hold off the Newcastle defence.
Shortly after the interval, the 30-year-old produced a clever kick which allowed wing Josh Bassett to touch down in the right corner.
Cipriani, having sustained an ankle knock during the first half, departed before his replacement and former Newcastle favourite Jimmy Gopperth finished off a fine break down the right flank for a fifth Wasps try.
Yet Richards has fashioned a side with guts and Matavesi raced clear down the left flank before wing Zach Kibirige grounded Matavesi’s crossfield kick.
Second row Evan Olmstead scored a third to cut the gap further, while visiting flanker Thomas Young was sinbinned before Willie Le Roux scarpered clear from distance for a sixth Wasps try.