Goode Miss Lands Harlequins First Win

An injury time conversion from Andy Goode came back off the post to deny Wasps their first win of the season, as they went down 16-15 to Harlequins at the weekend.

In the second of Saturday’s Twickenham double-headers the first half turned out to be a scrappy, disjointed affair, with both teams being unable to hold onto the ball for any extended length of play.

The same fixture last season was an incredible contest, one of the best of the season, with Wasps leading 40-13 early in the second half only to eventually succumb 42-40 after an incredible fight-back from Quins.

As the game began in front of a packed out Twickenham, fans could have been forgiven for expecting a repeat score line as Joe Launchbury crossed the Quins whitewash within seconds. Electric winger Tom Varndell reclaimed Andy Goode’s kick-off, with Sam Jones setting up the score for the big second row.

After the blistering start, though, the sides began to fall to a much more subdued tempo, with a penalty for both Andy Goode and Nick Evans being the only other scores of the half.

Varndell looked to be clear through for the line just minutes before the half time whistle, but the Wasps sprinter was incredibly caught and held up by a superb covering tackle from centre George Lowe.
Wasps led 10-3 at the break.

As the second half began, both teams were struggling to replicate their fast, free-flowing play of last season and put phases together. Nick Evans’s kicking did return to its usual form, after a shaky first half, however, landing two penalties at the start of the half bringing the quartered men to within one.

Wasps and their six new summer signings could not hold onto their point lead, as replacement scrum half Karl Dickinson created a superb opening for himself and touched the ball down over the line. Evans added the extras and placed his side ahead by 6 with only minutes to spare.

The loss of the lead for the first time seemed to anger the Wasps and ignite them into a ferocious period of play. They managed to work their way deep into the Harlequins half, with Tom Palmer eventually breaking through the line and crossing to score.

With the clock ended Andy Goode had the chance to win the game for his new side; however, the difficult touchline kick ricochet off the uprights.

Although not as enthralling as last season’s opener between the two sides, the game was, again, an incredibly close affair, with the sides’ last three meetings being decided by a margin of two points or less.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young sympathised for Andy Goode saying: "Obviously Andy is disappointed. He'll win us more games - I thought he had a great game. Unfortunately it's the curse of the kickers, you're either a hero or a zero. But you win together and you lose together," when he spoke to BBC Sport.

Young added that Harlequins are "a top-four team and we pushed them all the way. I thought we were in control for most of the first half and they were in control for most of the second half.

"I was really pleased with our attitude to defend for long periods against a quality team - at some stage the dam was going to bust.

"With six or seven minutes to go I still fancied us to get a try - which we did."

Line-Ups:

London Wasps: Masi; Wade, Jacobs, Hayter, Varndell; Goode, Simpson; Mullan, Lindsay, Cooper-Woolley, Launchbury, Palmer, Jones (capt), Thompson, Jackson.

Replacements: T. Bell for Hayter (80), Davies for Simpson (64), McIntyre for Mullan (69), Cochrane for Lindsay (73), Taylor for Cooper-Woolley (57), Cannon for Launchbury (60), Johnson for Thompson (55).

Not Used: Carlisle.

Harlequins: Brown; Sackey, Lowe, Turner-Hall, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Gray, Collier, Merrick, Robson, Wallace, Robshaw (capt), Easter.

Replacements: Botica for Evans (79), Dickson for Care (61), Lambert for Marler (52), Buchanan for Gray (52), Doran-Jones for Collier (52), Guest for Merrick (61), Fa'asavalu for Wallace (55).

Not Used: Walker.