Tigers go powering on through red mist
LEICESTER had far too much forward muscle for wilting Wasps but this clash will be remembered for three red cards rather than Tigers’ forward might.
And to take the gloss off Leicester’s win their best forwards Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg, face suspensions for red card offences.
The South African back row duo will be joined in the dock by Wasps prop Kieran Brookes who followed Wiese off the pitch early in the second half after the Tigers No.8 was dismissed in the 27th minute.
Wiese and Brookes were sent off by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys for dangerous challenges to the head to add to the growing number of such offences this season.
Finally, Liebenberg ruined his afternoon with a clumsy challenge in the final minute which upended wing Josh Bassett straight after Leicester had grabbed a third and final try.
Wiese was leading the way until he was sent off for taking out flanker Ben Morris with his shoulder at a ruck on the Wasps line.
His dismissal should have given Wasps an advantage but that was negated early in the second half when Brookes caught Tomas Lavanini in the head with his elbow in another breakdown situation.
Neither head coach – Steve Borthwick and Lee Blackett – criticised the referee for the decisions.
Wasps’ Blackett said: “If it’s contact with the head we can’t argue. The game is getting faster, the players are getting bigger and collisions are getting higher and higher. Because of that we need to look after the players.”
Borthwick tried to put the incidents into perspective by saying that there were hundreds of contact situations in a match which were perfectly legal. “Let’s not broad brush things,” he said.
His own forceful style as a lock has certainly been transferred into the way Leicester play. Just like previous matches at the newly-named Mattioli Woods Welford Road, the Tigers dominated from the start to build a 14-3 lead by half-time.
Wiese was a central character from the start, plunging over from a lineout for the opening try in the third minute.
His impact came to an end when prolonged deliberation between the referee and his team of officials ended in his red card.
Leicester had a try by Cyle Brink disallowed for the incident and instead had to rely on the boot of fly-half Zak Henry to keep nudging them ahead via three penalty goals.
All Wasps had to show was a penalty from centre Jimmy Gopperth but Wiese’s dismissal should have given them an advantage.
That lasted until only two minutes after the interval when Brookes caught Lavanini with his elbow at a breakdown on the Wasps 22 which forced the referee to show a second red card.
Leicester were spurred on and grabbed a second try through another forward drive for hooker Julian Montoya.
Wasps had their best spell midway into the second half and gained a try for substitute hooker Tom Cruse which put them back into the match at 19-8 down.
However, Tigers finished on top and a further penalty from Henry plus a late try by another substitute in fanker Tommy Reffell gave them a deserved win by three tries to one.
That should have been it but Liebenberg promptly horribly mis-timed his challenge and the referee showed red again.