The question is, where is Wasps’ next victory going to come from?
DAI’S MEN ARE DESPERATE FOR CHANGE OF FORTUNE – AND RETURN OF INTERNATIONAL STARS – TO GET BACK ON TRACK, SAYS BOBBY BRIDGE
ONCE upon a time not so very long ago, Wasps were killers at this time of year, providing a wonderful warm-up act before Six Nations clashes.
The free spirits of Danny Cipriani and Christian Wade, overlooked by England, would take their frustrations out on depleted opponents and thrust Dai Young’s side into, or concrete their place in, the top-four equation entering the approaching the business season.
Fast forward to 2019 and the club’s four-game period while Europe’s best have been going head-to-head will not be a fondly-remembered in these parts.
With Thomas Young and Dan Robson in their armoury, Wasps started the period with a bonus-point win at Bristol Bears. All systems go, it seemed, to lay the foundations for a pursuit of fourth-straight appearance in the end-of-season play-offs.
But subsequent defeats to Sale Sharks, Leicester Tigers and now a 20-19 home loss to Newcastle Falcons has left Wasps eighth in the table.
With six rounds remaining, they’re now looking over their shoulders and praying their England boys come home in one piece and with hunger in their bellies to reignite Wasps’ season.
A devastating toll of SEVENTEEN unavailable players for the visit of the Gallagher Premiership’s bottom club had a big bearing on Saturday’s game. But Wasps held a two-point lead and had possession entering the final few minutes.
Battling for their lives, Newcastle managed to earn not one, but two kicks to win it. After Toby Flood pulled his long-distance 73rd-minute effort wide, Brett Connon gratefully accepted a second chance to hand his side a survival lifeline and leave Wasps wondering just where their next victory will come from.
After a flat first half, Wasps went in at the break 6-3 ahead with Rob Miller kicking two penalties either side of Sonatone Takulua’s successful effort.
It was a scant reward for the hosts who dominated possession and territory in the opening 15 minutes but lacked a cutting edge to make it count on the scoreboard.
Kicks were overcooked, bounces unfortunate, breaks unsupported, lineouts overthrown. Falcons were afforded the chance to remain in the game and after the break they made Wasps pay through tries from Nemani Nagusa and Takalua.
Reduced to 14 men courtesy of Will Rowlands’ yellow card and two scores behind, Wasps clicked into life as another successful Miller penalty was backed up by Ben Harris’ 68th-minute converted try.
As has so often been the case during the past six months – when Wasps have won just three games in 21 games in all competitions – fortune did not favour them.
Marcus Watson, fresh from scoring the try of the week in round 15 of the Gallagher Premiership at Leicester Tigers, appeared to grab a Tom Cruse offload and put Juan de Jongh in for a try. A TMO check revealed Watson’s right boot was in touch.
A lifeline for Newcastle, not only in the game but their season. They grabbed it with both hands as Connon dispatched a penalty deep into injury time.
While Newcastle emptied their bench and got the desired result with controlled, forceful phases, four Wasps shirts were returned to kitman Pudsey Bevan without a stain, having not been summoned into action.
Jacob Umaga, Tom West, Biyi Alo and Charlie Matthews watched on as their team-mates appeared to get the job done before Falcons rallied. Wasps director of rugby Dai Young quite rightly labelled Saturday a ‘must-win’ game to keep alive topfour ambitions. Harlequins’ loss to Gloucester does at least present Wasps with the chance to narrow the gap between the clubs to as little as two points when they meet at Kingsholm on Saturday week. But who would back Wasps to get that job done especially on the evidence round 16 presented?
Realistically now, Wasps must target the top six and a place in the lucrative European Champions Cup next season.
Their run-in sees them travel to Gloucester, Exeter and Bath while hosting Worcester, Saracens and Harlequins. No easy games, especially if Wasps aren’t capable of seeing off the division’s bottom club in front of their home fans.
The question now, is where is Wasps’ next victory coming from? And what are consequences if this desperate five months becomes simply a desperate season?
A 12-point buffer above bottom place requires a three-game swing to suck Wasps into trouble. One more victory should allay any of those fears.
The return of five England stars along with Thomas Young, Michele Campagnaro and Zurabi Zhvania from their international duties cannot come soon enough. Nor can some let up on the injury front with two tightheads on the sidelines along with three fly-halves.
Fortunately, Wasps started the season with four wins in five games allowing for the subsequent slump in form to mean they haven’t slipped too far away from the top-four picture.
Only a repeat of that kind of form to close the season will see them finish the 2018/19 campaign in the right half of the final standings.
With six rounds left, they’re looking over their shoulders... The question now is where is Wasps’ next victory coming from?