Wasps 25 Leeds Carnegie 17
Big Impact...
By Stephen Danaher
January 7 2008
Leeds went through their warm-up at the Causeway Adams Park Stadium in front of about 150 fans who had braved the drizzle to attend this low-key Guinness Premiership game. The "Entertainer" in the Beer tent was confident of a Wasps victory and predicted a 25 point win. Rob Webber, ex-Leeds, agreed with him as did Simon Amor.
And Wasps did win the game. However, in Leeds season long battle this may well turn out to be a victory.
Leeds began the game well with a side unchanged apart from Callum Clark replacing Oakley at openside. They dominated possession early on and nearly opened the scoring when Hinton slipped between Sackey and Waters but the ball was lost. Wasps then began to fight their way back into the game with Cipriani challenging the Leeds defence with his passing and pace. Leeds gave away two penalties which were easily kicked by Cipriani. At 6-0 though, Leeds dominated and attacked the Wasps line for two five minute periods. Each time though play broke down and at first Leigh Hinton showed incredible pace to stop a certain Fraser Waters try. Second time lucky for Wasps though as Eoin Reddan went through a huge gap in the midfield to put Joe Worsley in for a try.
Leeds were then caught napping from a quick 22 drop out and Wasps cut the Leeds defence apart with some brilliant play, Cipriani squirmed through a tackle to the impressive centre Waters for the second try of the game. 18-0
On the stroke of half-time Leeds again got onto the Wasps line but Balding appeared to be injured trying to score and Leeds were awarded a penalty on the touchline. A few Leeds fans questioned the point of trying to kick it, but kick it he did, a fine effort. 18-3
Half-time and surely Leeds needed to get the first score to get back in the game? Well, they didn't get it and it was surely game over when Josh Lewsey found space after a Reddan pass to go in under the posts. 25-3
Wasps clearly though the game was over and took off their best player, Cipriani. From this point on, Leeds were completely dominant, and unlike the first half found some cutting edge. The replacements were all excellent and Tuilagi, Hepworth and Di Bernado are a much more potent set of backs than their colleagues who started. Leeds got their first try from a moment of magic from prop Tommy McGee who burst through with Biggs in pursuit of him. McGee hoisted a cross-field chip kick which Biggs leapt high and collected. The ball came out from the ruck quickly to McGee again who found his fellow prop MacDonald who braced himself and went for the corner...
...He did not score. However, the ref gave it and we celebrated a fine piece of skill from the once troubled Scot. Di Bernado then converted from the touchline, brilliant kick. 25-10
Leeds came straight back and after a huge effort from the forwards led by the awesome Erik Lund found space outwide. Tuilagi sucked in the Wasps midfield and took Leeds right up to the line where Bedford dived over with some nous. 25-17
Just one point short of the bonus point and Wasps managed to get a bit of territory at last. However, a loose pass found its way to Tom Biggs who hacked the ball up to the halfway line, he could have collected it but decided to hack on again and again which allowed Sackey to get back but a 5m scrum to Leeds nonetheless. However, Leeds went backwards for the first time in the game in the scrum and conceded a penalty.
Wasps had the ball on the Leeds line in an instant and it looked like they might be the team to get the bonus point. However, Leeds turned it over, Di Bernado chipped out of his own 22 and re-gathered. Leeds came wide and Tuilagi passed to Vickerman, he stepped and looked to put Biggs in for a try when the ref blew up for a dubious forward pass.
A defeat then, but it felt like a victory. The pack were absolutely magnificent and the backs looked so much more dangerous when the replacements came on. If Leeds can keep this up then relegation shouldn't come into the equation. There are winnable games ahead and let us all hope that this is the performance level when they come around.
MOTM - Tom Biggs
Still a Tyke - whatever the name!
No mention of the Huddersfield Vs Birmingham wendyball game all of us, (Waspies included), had to endure for the first 20 minutes!
God Bless the BBC!
Zandra YaPoI
YaPoI - Yorkshire and Proud of It
'proficiscor in una'
[Yorkshire Post]
Waiting for the good times ...
..and waiting ....
... and waiting ...
Waiting for the good times ...
..and waiting ....
... and waiting ...
Sam's, he's a pro. I aspire to be.
If the ball had popped up better for Biggs, I have no doubt he'd have scored.