H-Cup Goes Down to the Wire.

MOTM
By Mark Huckerby
January 11 2005

Going into the fifth round of Heineken Cup pool games three teams from Pool One were still in qualifying contention. For Wasps a bonus point win against Calvisano was crucial in order to set up a final round potential decider against Biarritz.

With a minor injury crisis at centre, Josh Lewsey stepped into the no. 13 role and Warren Gatland brought Mike Roberts onto the left wing. Kinga and Dawson were both rested too, so James Brooks was partnered by Harvey Biljon at Half Back, while Tim Payne started in place of Will Green.

Earlier in the week it was announced that Wasps would forego conversion attempts in order to focus on racking up tries. However, it was Calvisano who burst out of the blocks as they twice opened up the Wasps defence in the opening minutes after Wasps turnovers. An excellent break from Tom Voyce in the third minute which came to nothing was all Wasps had to show for the first ten minutes as Calvisano piled on the pressure. Cover tackles from Dallaglio and Roberts twice ended good Calvisano surges before eventually Wasps were carved open only for Ludovico Nitoglia to spill the ball with the try line at his mercy.

The opening exchanges were dominated by Calvisano as Wasps tried to do too much on the ball in slippery conditions. Minutes after Nitoglia’s effort, Calvisano once more breached the Wasps defence, only for the final pass to go agonisingly astray. Calvisano were made to pay for these wasted opportunities moments later as Mike Roberts repaid Gatland’s faith in him by slicing through the defence. The ball was moved blind and good hands from Lewsey and Dallaglio enabled Mark Van Gisbergen to open Wasps’ account.

This score was not the kick start that Wasps fans were hoping for though and Calvisano continued to put together good passages of play but were too often penalised at the breakdown. Another good Wasps move saw Voyce cut a great line taking an inside ball off James Brooks. Worsley carried play into the Calvisano twenty two and the Italians were penalised for hands in the ruck. With Wasps anxious to seal the 4 try bonus, they opted for the lineout gave away possession once more. Moments later another excellent counter attack by Roberts created an excellent chance but a two man overlap was wasted as the final pass drifted behind Tom Voyce.

Eventually however Wasps found their rhythm and another Voyce surge into the twenty two resulted in a try for Lewsey. Whilst Van Gisbergen once more declined the conversion attempt Joe Worsley amused himself by taking a pot shot at referee Nigel Owens. Tom Voyce remained a constant threat with the ball in hand and Johnny O’Connor was the beneficiary of another fine Voyce run as he scored under the posts.

Calvisano’s first chance since their opening forays came to nothing after Elisara did an excellent Christian Vieri impression by taking a tumble near Van Gisbergen in the process of chasing his own grubber kick. The Italian’s dwindling hopes of a fightback were further dented when the captain Zaffiri was sin-binned following one too many infringements and Wasps pressed home their advantage with Craig Dowd wrapping up the bonus point from a catch and drive.

Calvisano started the second half brightly and finally got the try their efforts deserved. Good footballing skills from Christian Zanoletti enabled Nitoglia to make up for his earlier miss as he scored in the corner and Fraser added the conversion to put the Italians back in the contest. However Calvisano were almost immediately penalised for collapsing the scrum and Wasps once more opted for the catch and drive. Dowd again emerged from the bottom of the pile to claim his second try, in the 44th minute. This was followed ten minutes later by a great piece of vision from Tom Voyce at scrum half as he scorched in from 40 metres.

With the game wrapped up Gatland introduced Ayoola Erinle, recently returned from injury. It was Mike Roberts who made way for Oogie and he will be pleased with an excellent showing which on top of his recent ‘A’ team performances further supports the argument for him to become a more regular fixture in this Wasps side.

Erinle’s first touch of the ball came after great work from Voyce on the touchline gave Lewsey the chance to produce a touch of flair with a flick through the legs that Carlos Spencer would have been proud of. And it was Lewsey who set up the seventh try as he burst down the blindside in the 61st minute. Although tackled just short, Ben Gotting was on hand to touch down. A further Calvisano chance went begging 4 minutes later as their replacement propped hacked on after Biljon’s fumble but once more the Italians failed to control the ball over the whitewash. With twelve minutes remaining Calvisano rang the changes but new prop Giampiero de Carli had only been on the field moments, before he threw a punch at Gotting which earned him a red card.

Dallaglio crashed over from another catch and drive in the 73rd minute and there was still time for one more try apiece as Giovanni Ranieri latched on to a floated pass from Worsley before Van Gisbergen took a great Biljon pass and beat the fullback Ravazzolo to glide in for Wasps ninth try.

As the final whistle sounded news was filtering in from Welford Road that Biarritz had beaten Leicester. But a crucial bonus point for the Tigers means that our pool remains in the balance going into next weekend. It was not a vintage Wasps performance but we remain very much alive in Europe and as the fans departed the stadium there was only one topic of conversation to be heard as everybody tried to work out what needs to be done in Biarritz next week. The only definite conclusion is that it will be a belter of a game.

Motm: Roberts looked excellent for fifty minutes but Tom Voyce carried the ball superbly and looked a threat all game.