Anglo-Welsh Cup
Wasps back to winning ways
Scrum.com
October 24, 2008
Date/Time: Oct 24, 2008, 20:00 local, 19:00 GMT
Newcastle Falcons 13 - 26 Wasps
Half-time: 6 - 12
Tries: Vickers
Cons: Clegg
Pens: Clegg 2
Tries: Rees, Sackey, Simpson, Voyce
Cons: Cipriani 3
Josh Lewsey struggles with the Newcastle defence, October 24 2008
Josh Lewsey struggles with the Newcastle defence during Wasps 26-13 win
© Getty Images
Enlarge
Related Links
Tournaments/Tours: Anglo-Welsh Cup

Wasps edged to an Anglo-Welsh Cup victory over Newcastle at Kingston Park tonight. Four tries meant a bonus point and Shaun Edwards will have been happy to see his side back to winning ways after their hammering at Leinster.

While Wasps will be happy, England will not be after Falcons centre Jamie Noon was carried off in the first half with his neck in a brace.

RFU director of rugby Rob Andrew watched from the stand and saw Danny Cipriani come through unscathed. It was not vintage Cipriani as he missed two relatively easy first-half kicks but he did manufacture a crucial second-half try for Tom Voyce.

Newcastle's pack caught Wasps on the hop at the first scrum and when they stood up as the Falcons put on the drive, it led to a second-minute penalty for Rory Clegg.

There was a long delay for treatment to England centre Noon in the eighth minute after a double tackle by Josh Lewsey and Jeremy Staunton and Noon was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Tom Dillon.

Newcastle's lead disappeared in the 12th minute when Brent Wilson fell off Lewsey and Paul Sackey had the easiest of run-ins for the try for a 5-3 lead before Cipriani made a mess of the conversion.

Newcastle were certainly not overawed and youngsters Clegg and Dillon combined to take the Falcons into the Wasps half. When Lewsey stepped offside, Clegg kicked a 27th-minute penalty to put his side back in front at 6-5.

Cipriani missed another relatively simple kick at goal six minutes from half-time but Wasps went into the break leading 12-6 after Tom Rees burrowed his way over after successive drives on the Newcastle line and this time Cipriani kicked the conversion.

He then produced a moment of magic when Newcastle were penalised for a high tackle. Cipriani immediately fired a high kick to the left corner where the ball bounced off Ollie Phillips and into the grateful arms of Voyce for a try which Cipriani converted from the touchline.

Cipriani missed a long-range penalty but Newcastle had the best of the closing stages with Tom May going over in the corner but brought back for a foot in touch before Mick Young's dart opened the way for Rob Vickers to crash over and Clegg's conversion put Newcastle back in the match at 19-13 with eight minutes left.

But Joe Simpson killed the game off two minutes from time with a surging run and a tumbling bonus point try which Cipriani converted.

Newcastle (6) 13 Wasps (12) 26

Newcastle: Tries: Vickers. Cons: Clegg. Pens: Clegg 2. Newcastle: Jones, Phillips, Noon, May, Rudd, Clegg, Grindal,McDonnell, Long, Hayman, Perry, Sorenson, Balding, B. Wilson, Winter, Beattie.

Replacements: Dillon for Noon (8), Young for Grindal (63),Golding for McDonnell (54), Dowson for Balding (25), Beattie for Winter (54), Vickers for Beattie (69). Not Used: Davey.

Wasps: Tries: Sackey, Rees, Voyce, Simpson. Cons: Cipriani 3.

Wasps: van Gisbergen, Sackey, Lewsey, Staunton, Voyce, Cipriani, Robinson, Payne, Webber, Barnard, Birkett, Palmer,Haskell, Rees, Worsley, Leo.

Replacements: Walder for Staunton (67), Simpson for Robinson (67), Varley for Webber (60), Leo for Palmer (34), Betsen for Rees (67), Hart for Leo (70).

Not Used: Holford. Sin Bin: Barnard (72).

Att: 5,202 Ref: Tim Wigglesworth (RFU).

© Scrum.com

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.