Leicester took advantage of leaders Saracens' defeat at Gloucester to move
level on points at the top of the Zurich Premiership.
Tim Stimpson kicked 23 of their points as the Tigers overturned a half-time
deficit to run out comfortable winners.
Leicester were given the perfect start when Stimpson kicked a penalty in the
opening minute and he added another on 14 minutes before Wasps hit back.
Alex King kicked a penalty to reduce the arrears to three and the visitors
then went ahead following a try on 31 minutes.
Simon Shaw picked up the ball after a Wasps scrum just inside the Tigers 22
and although he was brought down five metres short of the line, the ball was
recycled to Joe Worsley to drive over in the corner. King added the conversion
to put Wasps 10-6 ahead.
Stimpson and Andy Goode both spurned penalty opportunities in the closing
minutes of the half and Tigers' problems increased when Wasps stretched their
lead within a minute of the restart.
King kicked a penalty to put the visitors 13-6 in front before Tigers started
to claw their way back.
Stimpson kicked two penalties in three minutes to reduce the deficit to a
single point and he added another on 53 minutes to put Leicester in front at
15-13.
He added another penalty on 62 minutes and Tigers virtually wrapped up victory
with a fine try in the 68th minute.
After Ben Kay had leapt to take a line-out, Richard Cockerill and Graham
Rowntree ploughed deep into Wasps' half and the ball was fed to Jamie Hamilton,
who shimmied over the line from five metres out.
Stimpson added the conversion to put Tigers 25-13 in front and he also had the
final word with his seventh penalty in the 74th minute to wrap up a fine victory
which keeps their hopes of a third successive Premiership title alive.
Leicester (6) 28 Wasps (10) 13
Leicester:
Tries: Hamilton.
Cons: Stimpson.
Pens: Stimpson 7.
Team: Stimpson, Lloyd,
Smith, Howard, Stanley, Goode,
Hamilton, Rowntree, Cockerill, Garforth, Deacon, Kay, Gustard,
Moody, W. Johnson.
Not Used: Grindal, Nebbett, Balding, Gelderbloom, Short,
Newmarch, Freshwater.
Wasps:
Tries: Worsley.
Cons: King.
Pens: King 2.
Team: Lewsey, Roiser, Waters, Denney,
Sampson, King, Wood,
Le Chevalier, Leota, Green, Beardshaw, Shaw, Birkett, Volley,
Worsley.
Not Used: Bijon, Scrase, Leek, Lock, Pearson, Macer, Molloy.
Att: 9,000
Ref: Nigel Yates (RFU