Bears suffer thumping defeat on their travels
WASPS 44 BRISTOL BEARS 8
ALI Crossdale scored two tries on his debut as Wasps kicked off their Gallagher Premiership campaign with an impressive 44-8 thumping of Bristol Bears.
Wasps had the opening weekend off but ensured it was worth the wait for the crowd inside the CBS Arena as some clinical finishing and superb defence helped them dispatch last try. It came from Umaga doing well as Umaga’s second penalty quickly year’s semi-finalists. to wriggle out of a tight area before nudged Wasps back in front and the
They did have captain Brad passing the ball left for Crossdale, gap was extended to eight points Shields, another of their try scorers, one of four players in the hosts’ linefour minutes before half-time. sent off in the closing stages, but by up making their debut, who raced Dan Robson spotted Crossdale in that point the result was in the bag away to score in the corner. space on the right and threw a terrifagainst a Bristol side who have now Umaga could not add the converic pass that sent the full-back lost both of their fixtures this season. sion, but it was third time lucky from through a gap for a fairly simple fin
Callum Sheedyish.kickedthefirsttheteeforthefly-halfwhenhesent points of the match for Bristol after over a penalty to increase his side’s Wasps were able to pick up where just three minutes, although Jacob lead to 8-3. they left off at the start of the second Umaga should have cancelled this Shields was then sin-binned after half, as Shields managed to rumble out as he sent a penalty of his own the hosts conceded a succession of his way over with the help of a couwide from a central position. penalties, and Bristol pressure evenple of his fellow forwards.
The Bears then lost hooker Harry tually told as prop Max Lahiff bunBristol thought they had a route Thacker to injury with eight minutes dled over from close range to level back into the game when Chris Vui’s gone and suffered a further setback the match. pass gave Dan Thomas a walk-in, but when Wasps clicked for the opening Parity did not last long, however, the try was ruled out for obstruction by Charles Piutau on Robson during the previous phase.
The match was over as a contest in the 64th minute. Replacement hooker Dan Frost, another Wasps new boy, picked up the loose ball following a turnover and sprinted clear from 40 metres.
Shields was sent off shortly afterwards, but Wasps still had two more tries in them, with Tom Willis going clear from Josh Bassett’s offload before Zach Kibirige took advantage of a Bristol fumble off the final play.
Afterwards, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: “We’ve been in this situation many times.
“The Premiership is all about 24 rounds now - points are on offer every time and once you don’t get them, you learn and we move on to the next round.
“We didn’t perform like we wanted to, we turned the ball over too many times.
“We’ve had opportunities in both games, all winnable, but we are our own worst enemies; we’re making errors at key moments.
“We had one line break down the
left-hand side and could have passed the ball, but we didn’t pass the ball.
“We then got turned over, 50-22, try, so that was a big turnaround in two or three minutes, where we could have really put pressure on them, but we ended up putting it on ourselves.
“Our game plan creates opportunities, but at the end of the day, players will make mistakes. That’s how they will learn.”
Wasps head coach Lee Blackett was just as impressed with his side’s defence, despite their attack catching the eye.
Blackett said: “I think the way we held them out at times was outstanding.
“It’s something we’ve worked hard on with Matt Everard, our defence coach. We really worked hard on it in the off-season and to see it come out there and see how good we were close to our line - because we put ourselves under pressure.
“I think we gave too many penalties away, but our resilience close to the line was the most pleasing thing.
“I was really pleased with how we reacted (to Shields’ red card), with our resilience close to our line.
“It would have been easy as well, with the scoreline towards the end, to fold over close to our line, but that’s not what we’re about.
“Whenever you’re coming up against Bristol, you know how dangerous they are and you know that, defensively, you’ve got to be at your best.”
Wasps (16) 44 Bristol (8) 8
Wasps: Tries: Crossdale 2, Shields, Frost, T. Willis, Kibirige. Cons: Umaga, Gopperth 3. Pens: Umaga 2.
Wasps: Crossdale, Watson, Fekitoa, Le Bourgeois, Bassett Umaga, Robson, Hislop, Cruse, Toomaga-Allen, Fifita, Stooke Shields, Oghre, T. Willis.
Replacements: Kibirige for Watson (72) Gopperth for Fekitoa (41), Porter for Robson (77) Harris for Hislop (62), Morris for Cruse (60) Alo for Toomaga-Allen (66), Cardall for Fifita (71) Frost for Oghre (60).
Sin Bin: Shields (24).
Sent Off: Shields (72).
Bristol: Tries: Lahiff. Pens: Sheedy.
Bristol: Piutau, Adeolokun, O’Connor, Leiua, Lloyd, Sheedy Uren, Y. Thomas, Thacker, Lahiff, Attwood, Vui, Luatua D. Thomas, Hughes.
Replacements: Randall for Piutau (66) Purdy for Adeolokun (55), Bedlow for Leiua (39) Woolmore for Y. Thomas (61), Capon for Thacker (8) Armstrong for Lahiff (62), Holmes for Attwood (66) Heenan for Hughes (62). Ref: Karl Dickson (RFU).