Gopperth’s pressure kick saves the day
DAI Young heaped praise on fly-half Jimmy Gopperth after the New Zealander held his cool with a last-ditch conversion to earn Wasps a thrilling draw against Gloucester.
Wasps looked dead and buried when Henry Trinder’s try and Billy Twelvetrees’ conversion in the 71st minute seemed to have sealed a seventh straight home league win for the Cherry & Whites.
But Christian Wade’s dazzling score with the clock in the red meant the game was on Gopperth’s shoulders and he remarkably drilled the two-points to rescue an unlikely draw.
Young said: “I don’t know many better men at pressure kicking than Jimmy. We know how good a kicker he is and there aren’t many people you would want taking kicks in that scenario.
“I thought we showed real spirit and guts to get back into it. It looked a challenge for us when they scored late, but that last passage of play showed what we are about.”
Gloucester had led 18-6 at half-time following tries from Richard Hibbard and Charlie Sharples with Wasps biting back in the second-half through Thomas Young and Dan Robson, bringing the game to 18-18 going into the final quarter.
Given the fact Wasps had won their last three games in all competitions, you would have expected a more spirited start at a bitter cold Kingsholm. Instead Young’s men were sluggish and mistakeriddled across all fronts.
Twelvetrees opened his account for the hosts with a penalty within five minutes.
Wasps barely threatened in the opening quarter. A huge stop from Willie Le Roux halted a galloping Jason Woodward, but a penalty at the following ruck gifted Gloucester territory. Hibbard threw in, collected at the maul, before barrelling in behind the charging pack ahead of him. Twelvetrees converted and was handed another three-points on a plate when Rob Miller was caught not rolling away.
It took 25 minutes for Wasps to show any sign of getting into the game with the in-form Gopperth drilling in a penalty from 20 metres. For a brief period Wasps clicked into gear, with Le Roux striding away impressively to help set up another Gopperth penalty.
Just before the break, the Cherry & Whites ran in their second try of the afternoon. Woodward pierced through a gaping hole before offloading to Sharples who walked in.
Wasps bit back in the second half when Wade danced through the midfield, offloading to scrum-half Robson who, via a slip, scored against his former employers. Gopperth kicked the extras to have the visitors within a score.
Wasps levelled the game through dynamic flanker Young but Gopperth’s wayward conversion left the game at 18-apiece.
There was late drama when Trinder’s try looked set to reward Gloucester but Wasps had a sting in them, coolly recycling the ball for wing wizard Wade to dart in before Gopperth stole the headlines.