Bath staged a stunning second-half fightback to book their place in the
Premiership play-off final against league champions Leicester at Twickenham next
Sunday.
Wasps fell apart after their captain - England and Lions star Lawrence
Dallaglio - departed at half-time with his right knee heavily strapped.
Bath, who return to Twickenham after a five-year gap, overturned a 10-point
interval deficit during a second period packed with thrills and spills.
But it wasn't until the 80th minute that they could celebrate a spectacular
victory. Tom Voyce sprinted over following full-back Matt Perry's break and
Wasps were finished.
Bath took the try-count 6-3, but wing Kenny Logan's goalkicking - which
realised 16 points - always meant that the Londoners were in with a fighting
chance.
But Bath's triumph maintains their remarkable record of never having lost a
major semi-final, and they now go back to English rugby headquarters for an
appointment with their fiercest rivals during the Eighties and Nineties.
Wasps looked to have the game sewn up when they led 24-7 just before the
break, yet once Dallaglio went off, the home side lacked composure and control
in critical areas.
Voyce touched down twice for the visitors, while there were also touchdowns
for Iain Balshaw, prop David Barnes and outstanding number eight Dan Lyle,
together with a 43rd-minute penalty-try when lock Steve Borthwick was illegally
impeded going for the line.
Wasps had their moments, notably a try for centre Rob Henderson on his Loftus
Road farewell before moving to Munster, but they sorely missed Dallaglio's
inspirational leadership when the going got tough and injured wing Paul
Sampson's blistering pace.
Apart from their Heineken Cup-winning campaign of three years ago, Bath have
failed to prosper in terms of capturing major silverware.
They haven't enjoyed success on the domestic stage since Phil de Glanville led
them to a league and cup double in 1996, and once again it is Leicester who now
stand between them and fresh Twickenham glory.
Next weekend's showdown will evoke memories of a dramatic 1996 English cup
final when Bath prevailed 16-15 courtesy of referee Steve Lander awarding them
an injury-time penalty-try.
With Leicester certain to have an eye on their Heineken Cup final appointment
with French champions Stade Francais in Paris the following Saturday, Bath will
hope to take advantage and give their supporters a season's finale to savour.
Roared on by a sizeable contingent among the 8,000-strong crowd, Bath produced
some scintillating rugby, utilising the mesmeric running skills of gifted
attackers like Balshaw and young England prospect Voyce.
Dallaglio was in the thick of things after just two minutes, but he wasted a
certain try by firing out a forward pass to Shane Roiser with Bath's defence
ripped to shreds.
Two early Logan penalties put Wasps ahead, but Bath responded through Barnes'
short-range 18th-minute try when Dallaglio was receiving treatment more than 60
metres away.
Perry's conversion edged Bath in front, but there was no stopping Wasps once
Logan completed his penalty hat-trick midway through a fast and furious first
half.
With fly-half Alex King outplaying his opposite number - Bath's England man
Mike Catt - gaps opened for the Londoners to try and exploit a leaky visiting
defence.
Henderson powered over on 26 minutes, then Wasps struck again following
Logan's fourth successful penalty strike when a Bath counter-attack came to
grief and Roiser hacked clear to win a 50-metre race for the line.
Wasps though, proved that they could also blunder in attack and gifted Bath a
try just two minutes later. Dallaglio was caught napping as Wasps tried to break
from deep and Voyce reacted quickest, collecting the ball and claiming a soft
opportunist try.
The third quarter belonged exclusively to Bath, referee Brian Campsall
awarding them a penalty-try that Perry improved and then Balshaw emphasised his
blistering pace by leaving the Wasps defence for dead after Henderson, who had
also halted Borthwick and conceded the penalty-try, fumbled in attack.
Wasps were now behind for the first time, and the imperious Lyle touched down
after finding himself on the right end of Catt's long pass.
Although Wasps substitute Fraser Waters ensured a gripping finale when he
scored 11 minutes from time and Logan converted, Bath held their nerve as Voyce
completed a spectacular recovery to end an unforgettable match.
Teams:
Wasps: Lewsey, Roiser, Denney, Henderson, Logan, King, Wood,
Molloy, Greening, Green, Birkett, Shaw, Worsley, Volley,
Dallaglio.
Replacements: Waters for Henderson (50), Scrase for King (80),
Leota for Greening (66), Reed for Birkett (69),
Scrivener for Dallaglio (41).
Not Used: Bijon, Le Chevalier.
Tries: Henderson, Roiser, Waters. Cons: Logan 2.
Pens: Logan 4.
Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Berne, Voyce, Catt, Cooper,
Barnes, Long, Mallett, Gabey, Borthwick, Gardiner, Clarke, Lyle.
Replacements: Emms for Barnes (80), G. Thomas for Gardiner (9),
Lloyd for Clarke (43).
Not Used: Preston, Regan, Cox, Thirlby.
Tries: Barnes, Voyce 2, Penalty, Balshaw, Lyle.
Cons: Cox, Voyce, Perry.
Att: 8,094
Ref: Brian Campsall (RFU).
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