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Tom Willis scores last-gasp try to complete Wasps comeback against London Irish

By PA
London Irish v Wasps – Gallagher Premiership – Brentford Community Stadium

Tom Willis scored a last-second try to complete a hat-trick and an amazing comeback by Wasps, as they defeated London Irish 39-36 in an absolute barnstormer to move into the Champions Cup places in the Gallagher Premiership.

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The visitors had trailed 33-10 after a torrid first half at the Brentford Community Stadium, in which Curtis Rona and Albert Tuisue both scored twice for the Exiles, who ran in five tries during the first 40 minutes.

But Wasps refused to lie down and were a team transformed after the break, with this victory lifting them up to seventh in the table with just one match of the season remaining.

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Finn Russell | All Access

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Finn Russell | All Access

London Irish flew out of the traps by scoring twice in the first five minutes, as Rona was helped over before Ollie Hassell-Collins went in at the corner down the left from Matt Rogerson’s pass.

Jacob Umaga’s penalty put Wasps on the board, but they were soon rocked back again as Rona went over for his second try, as he went through a big gap after being picked out by Terrence Hepetema’s pass.

The visitors were gifted a route back into the game as Josh Bassett intercepted Blair Cowan’s pass inside Irish’s 22 to go in unopposed, with Umaga converting.

Wasps’ hopes were raised further in the aftermath as Hepetema was sin-binned, following a TMO check, for crashing into the head of Willis.

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Despite being a man light, the Exiles had the bonus point in the bag after 34 minutes, as Tuisue was bundled over after a succession of pick-and-drives.

The hosts continued to pound away and there was no stopping Tuisue from claiming his second right on half-time, as he broke off the back of a five-metre scrum.

That seemingly ended the match as a contest, but Wasps pulled a try back two minutes after the restart when Willis went over down the left, off Thomas Young’s off-load following a great break by Marcus Watson.

The fightback from the visitors continued when Jeff Toomaga-Allen’s off-load put Umaga into space down the right and his pass allowed Watson to dive in at the corner.

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Irish lost lock Adam Coleman to the sin bin, as they leaked penalties, and Wasps soon struck again, as Willis scored off the back of a driving maul.

A penalty stopped the rot for the hosts, but Wasps just kept coming and they reduced the gap to six points with 14 minutes left through a brilliant finish from 40 metres out by Bassett.

With the clock in the red, Watson was forced into touch before he could ground the ball, while advantage was being played, but the visitors would not be denied from the resulting penalty, as Willis crashed over to snatch the win and complete his hat-trick.

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

London Irish v Wasps - Gallagher Premiership - Brentford Community Stadium

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Bull Shark 8 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere also tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting g decent airtime. But pat of the above is just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section.


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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