London Wasps 51 - 18 Leeds Carnegie
Leeds Carnegie ventured to Adams Park in search of 4 points, and the prospect of securing a place in next years Aviva Premiership against a Wasps side that lately have been struggling to perform. Wasps on the other hand, wanted to show exactly what they were capable of against a bottom-of-the-table Leeds side. Fate, it seems, was very much in favour of the home team today.
Leeds Carnegie started brightly, showing promise at the breakdown and in the scrummage, but it was the London Wasps who opened up the scoring at Adams Park. Leeds centre Luther Burell spilled the ball, allowing Wasps winger Richard Haughton to hack ahead for scrum-half Joe Simpson to touch down in the corner. Dave Walder failed to convert the try, but the home side led 5-0.
Leeds managed to pull back three points in the form of an Adrian Jarvis penalty after some impressive work in the Wasps 22.
However, things continued to go badly for Leeds, and the sin-binning of full-back Michael Stephenson for not releasing in the tackle led to a penalty in front of the posts. Walder kicked it comfortably, adding 3 points to his team's tally. 8-3 Wasps.
Both teams were awarded kickable penalties in the following minutes, which Walder and Jarvis slotted accordingly. Wasps 11, Leeds 6.
In the final moments of the first half, Wasps put heavy pressure on the Leeds defensive line, and a sublime kick through from fly-half Dave Walder was chased down by Haughton, who touched down in the corner. Walder missed the conversion, Wasps led at half time 16-6.
Second Half
The Second half saw much of the same Leeds mistakes and Wasps hunger for the ball as the first. Five minutes in, Leeds showed some promise by turning the ball over in the Wasps half, but knocked it forward allowing new-boy Elliot Daley to hack the ball on. Richard Haughton chased down to score the try under the posts. Walder converts.
Soon to follow was Wasps' fourth try, scored by replacement hooker Joe Ward who was driven over the line by an impressive forward display by the home team. Walder added the conversion to make the score 30-6.
Almost immediately afterwards, a well-taken Wasps lineout led to Joe Simpson knocking up his second try of the match in a stunning solo display that simply ruined the Leeds defence.
Leeds were soon to put pressure on the home team, and after some time camped in the Wasps 22, Leeds No.8 Rhys Oakley cut a fantastic line to score his team's first try of the game. Jarvis added the two points, but the victory seemed very much out of reach.
Wasps managed to put the game even further out of reach when replacements Billy Vunipola and Zak Taulafo hammered their way over the line for a try apiece. Mark Atkinson, on for Dave Walder, converts.
The game may have been won, but Leeds were not quite finished. On the stroke of full time, Leeds winger Christian Lewis-Pratt showed tremendous skill with a run up the touch line, shrugging off tackles from the Wasps defenders. He touched down in the corner for Leeds' second try. Jarvis missed the conversion, and the final whistle blew.
Final score: Wasps 51 “ 18 Leeds.
