England's World Cup heroes helped ease London Wasps through their
curtain-raising Heineken Cup clash against Perpignan at the Causeway Stadium
with a 28-7 victory.
Laurence Dallaglio, Stuart Abbott, Josh Lewsey, Simon Shaw and Joe Worsley
were all back in action for Wasps and Lewsey, moving from his England fullback
position to the wing, had an immediate impact.
Fly-half Alex King, also just playing his second game after missing the World
Cup with a knee injury, had created a comfortable six-point cushion with two
penalties and Lewsey helped Wasps gallop further into the lead with a
13th-minute try.
Wasps, who returned to Heineken Cup action after winning the Parker Pen
Challenge Cup last season, had looked dangerous from the whistle and after a
move from the line out, which saw the all swept across the field, the home side
finally got their reward, when a break from scrum-half Rob Howley set up Lewsey
on the left wing.
King converted before it was the turn of centre Abbott to register his name on
the scoreboard.
Wasps had been piling on the pressure and the battering they gave Perpignan's
defence paid off when Abbott found space and jinked his way over the try-line.
Again King converted, before adding an injury-time penalty to hand Wasps 23
unanswered points against last season's cup finalists.
Wasps lost none of their sparkle after the break. Careless Perpignan threw
away a penalty allowing King to perfectly set up a lineout dangerously close to
their rivals' try-line.
Wasps' move was a tried and tested one with Trevor Leota throwing to Lock Shaw
who helped drive the pack forward.
But catching the Frenchman unaware Howley set the ball loose feeding out wide
to King, Tom Voyce then Lewsey who pounced on the ball to score on the right
wing.
Perpignan's blushes were only spared when fly-half Manny Edmonds muscled his
way over the try line after a successful line-out. The pack had drive forward
but scrum half Jerome Fillol soon set the backs free and Edmonds jumped on the
ball to struggle over and score.
Fullback Frederic Cermeno converted but Perpignan's last-gasp revival came too
late to halt Wasps' march into next weekend's Pool Six clash against Calvisano.
Teams
Wasps: van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Waters, Abbott, Voyce, A. King,
Howley, Dowd, Leota, W. Green, S. Shaw, Birkett, Worsley,
O'Connor, Dallaglio.
Replacements: Denney for Abbott (79), Gotting for Leota (61),
Purdy for S. Shaw (61), Volley for Worsley (21).
Not Used: Payne, Richards, Rudd.
Tries: Lewsey 2, Abbott.
Cons: A. King 2.
Pens: A. King 3.
Perpignan: Cermeno, Bomati, Marty, Manas, Luger, Edmonds,
Fillol, Freshwater, Koniekiewicz, Tournaire, Gaston, Porcu,
Le Corvec, Goutta, Alvarez Kairelis.
Replacements: Loustau for Fillol (69).
Not Used: Grelon, Mas, Debaty, Mallier, Labat, Laharrague.
Tries: Edmonds.
Cons: Labat.
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