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Wasps battle back to sting Bath despite losing four players to first-half injuries

By PA
Wasps prop Simon McIntyre celebrates their victory over Bath. (Getty)

Wasps claimed a remarkable Gallagher Premiership victory by beating play-off rivals Bath 27-23 despite losing four players injured. Flanker Thomas Young, full-back Lima Sopoaga, hooker Tommy Taylor and Taylor’s replacement Gabriel Oghre all departed during the first 34 minutes.

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It meant the match going to uncontested scrums, so stretched were Wasps’ front-row resources, yet Bath could not take advantage and a 75th-minute penalty try after Bath collapsed a maul saw the visitors home.

It took Wasps back into fourth place and ended Bath’s unbeaten run since the competition restarted after lockdown.

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Fly-half Jacob Umaga and prop Tom West scored tries for Wasps, while Umaga kicked two conversions and a penalty and full-back Liam Sopoaga slotted a penalty.

Wing Ruaridh McConnochie and substitute hooker Jack Walker claimed Bath’s touchdowns, and fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked 13 points.

Bath showed 12 changes from the side which won at Northampton on Wednesday as they targeted a best run of Premiership results since November.

Wasps, meanwhile, had six switches of personnel in their attempt to bounce back from a home defeat against Sale Sharks last time out.

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And Bath made a flying start, going ahead after just two minutes after Wasps blundered when they tried to run possession from inside their own 22.

Young was down receiving treatment, and the visitors went for an audacious counter-attack, but a dropped pass gave McConnochie a chance, and he finished superbly, with Priestland’s conversion making it 7-0.

Priestland then kicked a seventh-minute penalty, leaving Wasps with plenty of early problems to ponder against arguably the Premiership’s form team since restart.

Young had been on the receiving end of a hefty collision and failed a subsequent head injury assessment, then Priestland and Sopoaga exchanged penalties as Bath maintained a 10-point advantage.

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Wasps lost two more players to injury when Sopoaga and Taylor went off, but they enjoyed a spell of territorial dominance as Umaga looked to free dangerous wings Marcus Watson and Zach Kibirige.

Taylor had barely left the field before Wasps conjured a quality try, with scrum-half Dan Robson’s agility turning Priestland inside out before delivering a scoring pass to Umaga.

Umaga converted his own try, and Wasps were back in contention, trailing by three points midway through the second quarter.

The injury curse would not leave Wasps, though, and Oghre went off just eight minutes after taking over from Taylor, meaning uncontested scrums as prop Simon McIntyre joined the action.

There was a lengthy delay while referee Wayne Barnes sought assurances from the Wasps staff about their hooking options, and without a recognised hooker, it resulted in Robson and McIntyre throwing into the line-out.

Umaga then drew Wasps level on the stroke of half-time, underlining an admirable recovery in adversity.

Wasps remained in the hunt during a third quarter that saw a Priestland penalty put Bath ahead again, only for the visitors to respond brilliantly.

A flowing move ended with Bath defending desperately, but they could not keep West out from close range, and his try was converted by Umaga for a 20-16 lead.

Bath looked shell-shocked, needing to regroup before regaining the advantage through Walker’s touchdown and a Priestland conversion after Wasps’ forwards back-pedalled inside their own 22.

But then came the clinching penalty try, and Wasps could claim a famous victory.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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