Wasps U21s dominate to win Championship

Gong time for U21s
By deb Wasp
June 11 2002

Wasps U21s dominated Bristol U21s at HQ to comprehensively demolish the league winners in the play-off championship. Players left their calling cards for first team places next season. The game came close to being a complete rout, with Bristol's total embarassment being saved only towards the end.

London Wasps U21s 38 - Bristol U21s 7

The start from Bristol set the tone for their match, when they knocked on Dafydd Lewis's kick off, because of bad communication between Skuse and Rowland.

Wasps first attack resulted in Fuller crossing the line, however Chris White judge no try and a five metre scrum. The ensuing moves were awarded with a penalty when Bristol were caught offside. A scrum was chosen and this time Dafydd Lewis crossed the line, but again the ball was held up by some excellent body positioning from Bristol. From the subsequent scrum a grass cutter pass from Page was picked up by Hayward, which resulted in the attack retreating almost as far back as the Bristol 22. The pack then drove the ball forward, with Page passing out to the wing enabling Rudd to score the first try on 5 minutes- his 21st of the season.

At the restart Bristol put the ball straight out. The resultant lineout finds McCarthy and the forwards drive on, but the ball is turned over when Robinson becomes isolated. Evans chips ahead into touch. The next lineout finds Purdy and again the forwards drive up the field, but this time the ball passed back to Lewis for a long kick downfield. Bristol ran the ball back up field, Hodgson had a three man overlap but held onto the ball too long and was brought down with an excellent tap tackle from Wigram. Bristol recycled and continued forward but a stray pass connected with Lewis's boot, pushing them back behind the halfway line. They continued to attack, but a kick ahead rebounded off a Wasp player and was collected Purdy in the Bristol 22, allowing Wasps to attack again. The ball was passed wide but the pass to Wigram wa slightly in front and he failed to take it cleanly. Bristol attack again and had an overlap but Brown marks his man well and bundles Bressington into touch. Bristol were awarded a penalty just Wasps side of the halfway line. The resulting attack takes Bristol into Wasps 22 for the first time, but excellent Wasps defending causes a turnover and Andy Fuller comes away with the ball. A bursting run from Hylton and some slick passing brought Wasps back into the Bristol 22, but a 50-50 pass from Laird, to keep the ball alive, was claimed by Bristol and kicked into touch.

Gotting's lineout failed to find his jumper and was snatched by Hunt. A loose kick ahead was fired straight at Hylton. The fullback made a fabulous 40m run, evading three tackles before being brought down in Bristol's 22. He offloaded in the tackle to Hart, who had an easy run in. Lewis converted.

Wasps attacked again, but Lewis's chip ahead was blocked by Leadbetter. However, a forward pass from Hodgson to Kershaw-Naylor halted the Bristol attack. Bristol were then awarded a penalty when Wasps failed to release. The resulting Bristol lineout found a Wasps hand and Lewis kicked down the line, forcing Bristol back into their half. Hayward and Hylton exchange kicks, but the ball beat Kershaw-Naylor into touch. A Bristol lineout set Evans on a good run through the middle, but was halted by a Hylton tackle. Wasps defence slowed down the ball and a turnover ensued. However, Robinson was bundled into touch. The lineout gives Bristol another chance to attack, but this was wasted when Evans chip was too long and found Hylton. The ball was kept alive with some excellent passing out of the tackle from the Hylton, Brown and Laird. Laird's pass finding Tibbott (substituted for Wigram) who had a 25m stroll to the line. Lewis converted. Clark collected Page's kick downfield and maked an excellent chip over three Wasp defenders. The bounce was kind, Clark collected and surged forward, but the pass outside failed to connect with Hunt, causing a turnover. Hylton kicked long, pushing Bristol back into their 22. Bristol attacked again, with a powerful run from Skuse. The ball was lost forward and picked up by Rudd, who ran it down the wing. The ball passed in-field and finds Hylton, hitting the line at pace. From halfway, he burnt off Bressington & Clark and touched down in the corner.

Early in the second half, McCarthy broke through the centre, making 20m. Cross's chip through was gathered by Bristol and cleared to touch. The subsequent lineout resulted in a drive by the Wasps forwards and Purdy scored the try. Lewis converted. Wasps are awarded a scrum after a crooked Bristol lineout and after some patient work, a good chip and chase from Page and some excellent passing between the forwards and backs, Wasps found themselves in Bristols's 22. Brown burst through, evading two tackles, to put the ball down between the posts. Lewis converted. A Page chip ahead was charged down and Fielding maked an excellent run, his chip ahead is collected by his support runner, Britton. Bristol recycle and drove forward, but Kohn ran into a team mate. A series of six Bristol line outs ensued, the last of which found Wasps offside. Bristol opted for a tap-and-go penalty, resulting in the Kohn grounding the ball. Hunt converted and Chris White blew for full time.

Bristol Shoguns U21: 15 J Clarke; 14 W Kearshaw-Naylor (R Higgitt 61) 13 G Leadbetter (R Higgitt 23) 12 D Hayward 11 N Bressington; 10 O Evans (T Fielding 72) 9 P Hodgson (T Lambert 56); 1 C Rowland (J Horn-Smith 49) 2 F Gallagher (M Britton 56) 3 R Skuse (capt) 4 O Kohn 5 R Hunt 6 R Oakley 7 C Morgan (P Skillen 5) 8 R Martin-Redman (S Whitcombe 31).

London Wasps U21: 15 J Hylton; 14 R Laird 13 W Wigram (D Tibbott 12) 12 L Brown 11 J.Rudd (M Roberts 61); 10 D Lewis 9 A Page (R Shaw 70); 1 S Millard (J Campbell 57) 2 B Gotting (S Bishop 66) 3 J Fuller 4 M McCarthy (S Green 55) 5 M Purdy 6 T Robinson (P Kyriacou 61) 7 S Cross (capt) 8 J Hart.