Wasps advanced to the last four of the Premiership play-offs but the loudest
cheers after a disappointing contest were to be heard 300 miles away in
Newcastle.
The upshot of a quartet of home wins this weekend is that Rob Andrew's
youngsters will take their place in the Heineken Cup next season as Tetley's
Bitter Cup winners.
It was about the only statistic worth noting at Loftus Road after an instantly
forgettable contest which Gloucester initially looked capable of winning but
ultimately failed because of a lack of incisiveness behind the scrum.
Wasps speedster Paul Sampson grabbed the crucial try just before the break.
Kenny Logan tagged on a couple of penalties and the Scottish winger then raced
in five minutes into stoppage time to give Wasps their win and a chance to play
host to Bath next weekend for a place in the Twickenham final on May 13.
Gloucester knew only a victory could maintain their hopes of a Heineken Cup
berth next year after their exit at the semi-final stage of this season's
competition at the hands of Leicester last week.
They started with understandable urgency and an apparent desire to reduce the
match to the kind of physical battle to which they are more suited.
With 199 points in their last four matches it was not in Wasps' interests to
keep the game tight but they succumbed to Gloucester's desires and in the
process contributed to a fractious opening period.
Two men - opposing props Darren Molloy and Olivier Azam - were eventually
sin-binned by Steve Lander but it was only the referee's considerable patience
which kept Will Green and Andy Hazell on the field for the duration of the half
after a series of niggly skirmishes.
A pair of Simon Mannix penalties were all the west country side could muster
from their early efforts and Wasps always seemed to have something to spare in
defence.
But it was a different story in attack - at least in the early stages - and a
combination of poor handling, basic errors and indiscipline cost them attacking
momentum.
Kenny Logan missed a penalty - Mannix had failed with two earlier - but the
Scottish winger did bludgeon his way down the middle to create the space which
Sampson exploited for the opening try.
Either side of the interval the Wasps pack tried to barge their way over with
absolutely no hint of success.
But at least Logan had found his kicking boots during the break to nose his
team in front for the first time with a close-range penalty.
For the first time Wasps unearthed enough confidence to attack out wide but
Sampson's half break, which should have provided Simon Shaw with a certain try,
came to nothing when the big lock spilled the pass.
Alex King also bombed a golden drop-goal chance on the hour, so Lions duo Rob
Henderson and Phil Greening entered the fray with some work to do to ensure
victory.
At just two points down Gloucester still had a kicker's chance but their line
was coming under increasing threat, Joe Worsley slipping as he tried to round
Goodridge after another dash through the visitors' defence.
But with 16 minutes remaining Logan punished another infringement by the
Gloucester pack.
And although Wasps were grateful to Lawrence Dallaglio for his last-ditch
tackle on Hazell after the flanker had broken down the blind side, the home side
fully deserved a success which was clinched by Logan with the last move of the
match.
Zurich man of the match: Paul Sampson.
Teams:
Wasps: Sampson, Lewsey, Waters, Denney, Logan, King, Wood,
Molloy, Leota, Green, Birkett, Shaw, Worsley, Volley, Dallaglio.
Replacements: Henderson for Waters (61),
Greening for Leota (61).
Not Used: Bijon, Roiser, Lock, Reed, Le Chevalier.
Sin Bin: Molloy (29).
Tries: Sampson, Logan.
Cons: Logan. Pens: Logan 2.
Gloucester: Goodridge, Greenslade-Jones, Fanolua, Little,
Simpson-Daniel, Mannix, Gomarsall, Azam, Fortey, Vickery,
Fidler, I. Jones, Boer, Hazell, Ojomoh.
Replacements: Yates for Fanolua (47), Murray for Mannix (71),
Deacon for Azam (79), Jodie for Fortey (79),
M. Cornwell for Fidler (63), K. Jones for Ojomoh (73).
Not Used: Walton.
Sin Bin: Azam (29).
Pens: Mannix 2.
Att: 4,986
Ref: Steve Lander (England).
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