Wasps produced a terrific performance at Adams Park on Sunday afternoon to beat the star-studded French side Stade Francais 35-22 in the first leg of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup quarter-final.

The French side started the match moving the ball well but were well held by a very aggressive Wasps defence including one absolutely crunching tackle by Lawrence Dallaglio on the diminutive Italian fly-half Diego Dominguez.

Wasps then established a dominant period in the match, moving the ball wide at every opportunity despite the cold and icy conditions.

Alex King opened the scoring for the home side after five minutes with a penalty, adding a second seven minutes later.

But that lead was immediately cut with Dominguez converting his first penalty chance to leave the score 6-3 to the home side.

The French were gradually warming to the match and took the lead in the 20th minute with the first try of the game from Ignacio Corleto.

A period of sustained pressure saw the Stade full-back evade a tackle and step inside his opposite number Mark van Gisbergen to score under the posts. Dominguez converted.

From then on the first half was a game of nip and tuck with both sides producing some terrific rugby.

But Wasps continued to have more of the ball but were restricted to just a further penalty by King. In the 36th minute Dominguez again restored the visitors' to a four-point lead with his third successful penalty, but a minute later Wasps got their all-important first try through Stuart Abbot.

Wasps pressure in Stade's 22 metres saw the ball bounce free and found the boot of centre Fraser Waters, whose deflected kick ahead was gathered by the blond South African who went over from eight metres. King converted to lead the half-time score 15-13 to Wasps.

The second half started with Wasps immediately extending their lead.

The home side gained a scrum put-in after turning the Stade pack and from there moved the ball right with winger John Rudd rounding French international Stephane Glas by sheer pace to score with King adding conversion to make it 23-13.

Dominguez cut the lead two minutes later to keep his 100% record kicking penalties with his fourth attempt but Wasps remained in control of the match and were helped in the 62nd minute when Stade centre Brian Liebenberg was yellow-carded for killing the ball.

From the subsequent penalty and line-out the Wasps forwards drove their French counterparts back 20 metres to score with captain Dallaglio crossing with the ball, followed up by a King conversion.

Dominguez then added his fifth penalty but the home side continued to press and scored their fourth try in the 75th minute.

The ball was moved left inside Stade's 22 with replacement hooker Phil Greening, back after injury, joining the line to give a short pass to centre Waters who ran through at pace to score from 15 metres out.

Though Dominguez added a drop goal with the final kick of the match Wasps will feel quietly confident when they travel to Paris next week for the return leg.

Teams:

Wasps: van Gisbergen, Rudd, Waters, Abbott, Logan, A. King, Howley, Dowd, Leota, W. Green, Shaw, Birkett, Worsley, Bolley, Dallaglio.

Replacements: Wood, Greening, Denney, Erinle, Scrivener, Beardshaw, Kershaw.

Tries: Abbott, Rudd, Dallaglio, Waters.

Cons: A. King 3.

Pens: A. King 2, Logan.

Stade Francais: Corloto, Lombard, Glas, Leibenberg, Dominici, Dominguez, Galthie, Emmanuelli, August, De Villiers, Auradou, James, Martin, Rabadan, Moni.

Replacements: Cabello, Lemoine, Tabacco, Jechoux, Gomes, Comba, Filol.

Tries: Corloto.

Cons: Dominguez.

Pens: Dominguez 4.

Drop Goals: Dominguez.

Att: 5,269

Ref: Alain Rolland (Ireland).