Oogie storms Bordeaux-Bègles' fortress

On the road
By Sparkie
December 16 2002

Wasps inflicted Bordeaux's first home defeat of the season, winning by six points after a 13-13 first half tie. Ayoola (Oogie) Erinle set us on our way with an incisive dash from half way. Trevor Leota and Paul Volley got over the goal line in the second half to sink the game hosts.

Bordeaux drew first blood after a backs move was put through two our three pairs of hands and Ludovic Valbon put Scotland international James MacLaren over to score. Then Oogie got into his stride, taking a ball at pace near halfway he boshed through two defenders and stormed through the rest of the defence.

After turning round all-square, Wasps' forwards upped the pressure. So much so that Sir Trev trundled over in trademark mauling mode.

The try scoring was rounded off for Wasps following a Kinga snipe, Craig Dowd burst into Bègles' 22 and almost made the line before he popped the ball to Paul Volley. Not so much a forward rumble as a fair imitation of some three quarters' finesse.

Bègles signalled their intent midway through the second half. They opted to kick at goal instead of kicking for the corner. Clearly they wanted to keep their home record intact and had given up on making up the first leg deficit. In the end, they did neither which is the true measure of Wasps' away-day endeavours.

Wasps will now play Stade Français in the quarter finals of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup. It has been a while since our last win on French soil, as SF will want to remind us. You have to go all the way back to our visit to Bourgoin on 12 December 1999 where our Allez chant (born in Ulster's fair province on a Friday night a fortnight previously) was put to good use in cheering Kenny Logan to a seven goal kicking display.

Loose Head reports that a new song has been added to our repertoire: Allez les Guêpes/Wasps !