'Who Needs Kites?' or 'Wasps Garner Nowt'
Wasp Destroyers
By Darraghgirl
February 28 2011
Over the years Little DG and I have had a variety of experiences at Adams Park. We’ve had our hub caps stolen, we’ve had a pint of Guinness poured over us, we’ve seen Sarries snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (remember Walder’s 10 minute MOTM performance in 2008), we’ve seen 2 of the most abject performances by Sarries ever ( 41-0 in 2003 and 9-0 last year) and of course we’ve seen the kites. But we’ve never seen them win. Not until NOW!
As we drove around the M25, the sun was shining and Little DG was feeling smug that she’d remembered her sunglasses (forgotten at Franklin’s Gardens 2 weeks ago and the source of considerable angst) but as busloads of Birmingham supporters passed us on their way to Wembley and the first red kites glided into view just south of J3 on the M40 the heavens opened and any thought of open attacking rugby or sunglasses went out the window. It would definitely be “up the jumper stuff” which once upon a time was right up Sarries’ jumper (so to speak) but those times have changed.
Wasps kicked off with a strong breeze behind them. A box kick by Wiggy from his own half seemed to hold in the wind and fell neatly into the arms of the chasing Barritt. He delayed his pass a fraction of a second which took Haughton out of it and Saull beat Powell to the corner to reprise his Wembley try in the first minute. Goode’s conversion just shaved the wrong side of the post but 0-5 after only a minute was a promising start.
The action continued unabated. Wasps won a lineout which they promptly lost. Somehow Wasps won the ball back and 6 foot something of Hayden Smith got his arm round the neck of 5 foot nothing David Lemi. It was a high tackle but accidental. What followed was a rumble in the advertising hoardings featuring a substantial number of players from both sides. Wasps had the penalty but following an intervention from our old friend Ashley Rowden (who was running the line) Marty Veale went to the naughty step for 10 minutes and the penalty was reversed.
Sarries won 3 successive lineouts from virtually the same spot, eventually set up the first of many rolling mauls (it was that sort of pitch and that sort of day) and won another penalty which Goode kicked over the roof of the Greene King Terrace for 0-8 after 10 minutes.
Five minutes later after yet another maul Goode kicked the inevitable “pulling down” penalty for a 0-11 lead. Things were definitely looking up even if the weather wasn’t – the skies remained grey and the rain continued to fall turning the pitch into a quagmire.
Of course nothing is ever straightforward when you support Sarries. At their 6th attempt, Wasps finally secured their own lineout (to a huge ironic cheer from supporters of both sides). They followed Sarries’ lead and set up a rolling maul which looked as if it might go all the day until it was pulled down and Walder kicked the inevitable penalty. 3-11. As we entered the second quarter, Wasps were awarded a dubious penalty because Sarries were off their feet (although Mr Garner managed to miss the 3 Wasps in front of the kicker including a rather sheepish Flutey who won the penalty). Still, never look a gift horse in the mouth. Walder kicked the penalty and Wasps were back within a score at 6-11. It was the start of 20 minutes which are best forgotten by supporters of the men in black.
Matt Stevens made his first appearance as a blood replacement for Rhys Gill as Farrell took the restart. All his restarts appeared very flat and didn’t give his players a chance to chase them but probably kicking into that wind was tricky. It was also notable that Betson wasn’t able to attack him in the same way that he had at Wembley, perhaps because Goode and Brits (well why not) were often there as first receivers which left Farrell more free to defend and Wigglesworth made full use of the box kick to clear.
We had to wait until 28 minutes for the first scrum which Wasps won. Sarries got a turnover and launched an attack which saw Joubert break free inside the Wasps’ 22 with only the diminutive Lemi to beat but a superb tackle by the little Samoan forced Joubert to knock on when a try was there for the taking.
Saracens won 2 successive penalties kicking the first to touch. They secured the lineout and set up the inevitable maul which was equally inevitably pulled down for another penalty. This time Goode went for the posts but on a difficult day for kickers the shot went wide.
As half time approached Walder kicked 2 penalties, the first for offside and the second at the scrum and somewhat fortunately Wasps went in for the half time oranges 12-11 ahead.
Sarries started the second half with the wind behind them and quickly won a penalty at the lineout which Goode slotted to take the men in white ahead 12-14. Almost immediately Walder retaliated with a penalty for offside, 15-14, only for Sarries to take the lead a few minutes later with another Goode penalty (for a scrum offence) 15-17.
De Kock and Botha replaced Wigglesworth and Hayden Smith. There had always been a suggestion that the Saracens’ bench was much stronger and with a pitch which looked more like the Somme, the impact of the subs for tiring legs was always going to be important. Saull won turnover ball and Wasps were again penalised. Goode kicked an excellent penalty from wide on the left to stretch the lead a bit more to 15-20. Matt Stevens returned to the fray for the tiring Gill. Sarries won a lineout. Botha appeared to be pulled down in the air and Mr Garner sent Tim Payne to the bin although subsequent analysis suggested the decision was harsh and it should have been Birkett anyway! The subsequent penalty set up a promising attack from Brits to Saull and back to Brits again, Wasps went offside and Sarries had another penalty which again Goode kicked. 15-23. A little daylight at last and it had even stopped raining and the sun was trying to peak through the clouds. Meanwhile the impeccable Walder limped off to sighs of relief from the Sarries’ fans.
As we entered the final quarter, Sarries were awarded another unpopular penalty when Hart appeared to kick the ball out of the ruck. Mr Garner felt it was illegal (though he didn't seem to consult his assistant who may have had a batter view) and the Wasps’ player joined Payne in the bin. Wasps were down to 13 (and hopefully would not be inspired in the way that Sarries were at Northampton a week or two ago). Goode ignored the catcalls from the Wasps’ supporters and kicked the goal. 15-26. There was an even bigger round of applause as Adam Powell replaced Penney.
The game entered its final 11 minutes. Little were we to know that those last 11 minutes would feature some of the most heroic defence since Dunkirk as Sarries didn’t get out of their own 22 again. It started with a Wasps’ scrum. Botha was lucky to escape a yellow card but with only 7 forwards on the pitch Wasps incomprehensibly opted for another scrum which was reset and reset and reset, used up nearly 3 minutes (due in no small measure to the dark arts of Matt Stevens) and was eventually won against the head by Joubert. George replaced Brits as Wasps took the lineout. Wave after wave of attacks rained down on the Sarries’ defence, pick and drive after pick and drive getting closer and closer. A penalty was tapped and eventually Betson thought he’d got the ball down but the considerable bulk of Steve Borthwick was in the way and the try wasn’t given.
As at Franklin’s Gardens a couple of weeks ago, Wasps supporters were leaving Adams Park in their droves. The chants of the Sarries fans in the Green King Terrace rang out loudly bolstering the Sarries defence which refused to break. They must have been exhausted but no way were they letting Wasps get back into the game. From the resulting 5m scrum, Wasps won scrappy ball, Sarries forced a turnover and de Kock booted the ball into the stand.
At last Sarries had won at Adams Park. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t a day for running rugby, it was always going to be a battle of the boot and that on a day when goal kicking wasn’t easy. But Walder was inch perfect and Goode missed only one penalty and a difficult conversion contributing a total of 21 points. In the end the depth of Sarries’ squad made the difference. As the players ran themselves into the ground, the quality of Sarries’ replacements stood out. The defence in those last 11 minutes was superb. The Sarries’ team did a lap of honour while the Wasps players stood about and looked a bit bemused – there was barely a Wasps supporter left in Adams Park!
Hayden Smith was given man-of-the-match but to be honest it could have gone to almost anyone. Borthwick was immense, Brits was everywhere as usual, Melck and Joubert hardly put a foot wrong and Saull put himself about all afternoon to win the Persil prize for the dirtiest kit. Everyone contributed something.
As for the kites? They were definitely absent today. Maybe it was the rain or maybe they are Wasps supporters, who knows? Whatever, although there were plenty elsewhere, we didn’t see a single one over Adams Park all afternoon!
Wasps
Van Gisbergen (Wallace), Haughton, Waldouck, Flutey, Lemi, Walder Jacobs), Simpson, Payne (Beech), Lindsay (Ward), Broster, Veale (Launchbury), Birkett©, Hart (Jones), Betson, Powell
Saracens
Goodes, Strettle, Penney (Powell), Barritt, Wyles (Short), Farrell, Wigglesworth (de Kock), Gill (Stevens), Brits (George), Nieto (Saunders), Borthwick ©, Smith (Botha), Melck (Wray), Saull, Joubert
Scorers:
Wasps
Pens: Walder (5)
Saracens
Try: Saull, Pens: Goode (7)
Scores: (Saracens first)
5-0 8-0 11-0 11-3 11-6 11-9 11-12 14-12 14-15 17-15 20-15 23-15 26-15
Attendance: 7,489
Referee: Greg Garner
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:03:06:20:46:21 by Kat..
SUPPORT Help for Heroes:
Help for Heroes
(One quick point, third yellow was to John Hart).
Many thanks.
Great read, again and again!!
Just how do you remember all that detail?
Really good report. Thanks
PS: as Lemi had already ducked H-S must have made the tackle at around 4 feet. Dangerous it was (as it turned out) but I challenge anyone to premeditate a high tackle that low against a squirmy little individual like Lemi!
The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side. - Yoda
Was an outstanding performance and one gets the feeling that not only something special happening but this bunch really now get stuck in for each other.
Our back 3 were outsatnding in the conditions as were the entire pack.
Brad Barritt really has made a huge contribution in the last few games and his workrate phenomenal for a center .
When will MJ look at our boys
Borthwick(back to his best)Strettle,Goode,Saul and Barritt would do justice to the white jumper.What would England do if and when Joubert qualifies!!!!