STING IN THE TAIL
Late penalty try drama gives injury-hit Wasps play-off lifeline
NIK SIMON at the Rec
HALF of Wasps’ players were too crocked to celebrate but they could not care less. Chaos reigned as they lost four players to injury inside 34 minutes — leaving them with no lineout thrower and uncontested scrums — but they fought back for a famous victory.
Talisman Thomas Young was the first man down inside 60 seconds, before Lima Sopoaga, Tommy Taylor and Gabriel Oghre quickly joined him in the medical room. The win helped Wasps leapfrog Bath into fourth, although their scouts were last night left looking for emergency cover for their play-off push.
This was a victory built on the breakdown class of Jack Willis, combined with Wasps’ ability to adapt in the unstructured conditions. Their low-profile coaching team are among the league’s freshest faces, but they delivered a masterclasss in madness management.
Bath led for large parts of the e game yet Wasps somehow stayed in the fight. They trailed until the 76th minute, when Simon McIntyre threw an attacking lineout. He was their fourth player to do so — after Taylor, Oghre and Dan Robson — but his s limp throw hit Brad Shields and nd the pack drew out a match-winning ning penalty try.
‘That was pure dog… pure fight,’ said Wasps coach Lee Blackett. ‘It doesn’t always take talent but it takes a lot of hard work. That’s what’s so pleasing and I’m really proud.
‘Everything possible was thrown at us. We have a scenario that if both hookers are off, we use Thomas Young at the lineout. He’s our third-choice thrower. The character and leadership in adversity was so pleasing.’
It was a clash of styles at the Rec. Bath have built one of the heaviest packs in the league, while Wasps are lighter on their feet. Young was forced off the pitch following a shuddering clearout in the first minute.
Wasps wanted to make their yards out wide, however they were guilty of forcing things in the early exchanges. Malakai Fekitoa dropped a speculative pass and Ruaridh McConnochie pounced for a fast try. Rhys Priestland’s boot steered Bath to a 13-0 lead, but their No 10 lacked the game management to build on their advantage.
Against the odds, Wasps won penalties at the scrum, providing a platform for attack. The ball squirted out the back of a lineout, but Robson’s improvised dummy sent Bath’s backline spinning, leaving a hole for the impressive Jacob Umaga to score.
The visitors had to dig deep as their injury toll ramped up — and they repeatedly held off Bath on their try-line. Sam Underhill and Charlie Ewels were both denied and Wasps’ reserves were energised with a siege mentality. menta Blackett’s Bl team played smart, opting op for uncontested scrums, rather ra than kicking for weakened lineouts.l Robson fired up the tempot with quick taps and his side drew level with a breakdown penalty just before half-htime. Priestland should have played pla for territory, whilst his pack should have applied applie more pressure at the lineout. At times they did not even contest, despite Wasps’ glaring frailties. A quick throw caught Bath unprepared and provided Tom West with the opportunity to snatch the lead after 58 minutes.
Bath, however, resorted to their pack and fought back with a drive-over try. Victory seemed inevitable. They pushed again, but Priestland threw a highrisk, low-reward pass that was dropped by Tom de Glanville.
Wasps moved upfield and, with four minutes left on the clock, won an attacking lineout. McIntyre’s throw went unchallenged and, when Underhill illegally pulled down the maul, Wasps left with the most unlikely of victories.