Wasps overtake Bath and move into Playoff places

The final match of round 17 took place between two sides with playoff ambitions and, remarkably for this round of premiership games, both sides were full strength as Wasps took on Bath at the Rec.

Both sides captained by an English lock as Ewels & Launchbury led their sides hoping to further their international credentials. Some kamikazee early play by Wasps, Scrum Half Dan Robson taking a quick line out attempting to catch Bath off guard by getting the ball to Lima Sopoaga, whose long pass only serving to put his side 7-0 down inside three minutes; McConnochie the happy recipient. 

 

Poor decision making would continue for Wasps as Ben Spencer kicked well for territory and Bath were rewarded with Wasps trying to play from deep, but infringing at the breakdown. Priestland converting two penalties to give Bath a 13 point lead. Wasps managed to convert a penalty of their own  from great ruck work from Jack Willis, meaning they were 13-3 down at the first drinks break of the game. Both sides continued to play a lot of rugby and go wide quickly, something you’d expect from Wasps but not necessarily from Bath. A huge scrum penalty for Wasps inside Bath’s 22, followed by an advantage for collapsing the maul, led to an unusual try. A Dan Robson pass accidentally hit his own players body, before being tapped back by Joe Launchbury to his scrum half. Whilst all appeared to be lost, Robson danced away from Rhys Priestland to find an alert Jacob Umaga to put Wasps just 3 points behind the hosts after 30 minutes. 

 

The high intensity the game was played at resulted in multiple injuries and on 33 minutes Wasps had lost both hookers, leading to uncontested scrums and Dan Robson throwing into a line out inside the Wasps 22. Bath reverted to keep the play tight and Wasps managed to survive, firstly through Brad Shields preventing the ball being grounded and secondly forcing the Bath pack to seal off at the ruck, so worried were they off the imposing Jack Willis. Wasps managed to inch their way upfield and forced a penalty, converted by Umaga, to leave the game all square at the interval. 

 

McConnochie went close to getting his second try early in the second half only for the bounce of the ball to steer him away from the line. Bath edged ahead through another penalty after another Wasps indiscretion at the breakdown. Bath’s quality was now shining through as they produced good ball and showed more control out wide. Wasps for the second time managing to stop a try from being grounded, this time James Gaskell getting himself under the ball. Wasps then went the length of the field, high tempo rugby keeping the ball alive with prop Tom West going over. Wasps in the lead for the first time in the match with 20 minutes to go and heading into the final drinks break. 

 

Their lead wouldn’t last long. A penalty for a high tackle allowed Bath to kick deep and a perfectly executed rolling maul with Jack Walker putting the ball down for a team effort that Rhys Priestland converted; 23-20 to the hosts. But in the true spirit of the frenetic manner of the match Wasps performed a copycat score, the only difference being that this times it was a penalty try for Wasps and Sam Underhill to miss the final 4 minutes of the game for entering the side of the maul and collapsing it. 

 

That rolling maul, not a characteristically Wasps score, would be the final score of the match. A great contest, the only real contest of the round, deservedly going to a fine Wasps team. When Lee Blackett took over from Dai Young back in February, Wasps were 10th after a run of 7 defeats in 10 matches. They’re now in the playoffs after a run of 6 wins in 7 and, with more man of the match performances like today’s by Jack Willis, capable of beating anyone.