The Daily Telegraph

Wasps demolish disgraced Saracens

- By Charles Richardson at the Ricoh Arena

Wasps 60 Saracens 10 Att: 21,842

This was a showing of utmost grit. Wasps hosted Saracens having not beaten the disgraced champions since May 2017, in a week that featured the departure of their longstandi­ng director of rugby.

No one fancied the home side, but they were not banking on them playing the best rugby of their season, scoring eight tries, and the visitors delivering what was surely the absolute worst performanc­e in the club’s history.

Jimmy Gopperth, who kicked faultlessl­y all evening, put Wasps into an early lead, before the barrage began. The stupendous Jack Willis barrel-rolled over, before a scintillat­ing score put Wasps firmly in control. Thibaud Flament flicked the deftest offload to Willis, before the openside flanker sent Jacob Umaga streaking towards the posts, offloading to Nizaam Carr just before the line.

When the first of many Saracens attacks collapsed, Malakai Fekitoa was the beneficiar­y. He weaved and scythed before a looping pass sent Zach Kibirige over and he then earned the bonus point.

Ali Crossdale’s score on the stroke of half time barely dented the deficit. Umaga’s cross-field kick allowed Brad Shields to touch down. Umaga got on the end of another Kibirige burst before Shields grabbed his second. Gabriel Oghre added Wasps’ eighth and not even a late Alex Lewington score could spare Saracens’ embarrassm­ent.

 ??  ?? Running riot: Zach Kibirige scored two tries and also set up Brad Shields
Running riot: Zach Kibirige scored two tries and also set up Brad Shields

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom