Wasps will have to win the double the hard way after receiving a six-try
thumping at the hands of resurgent Leicester in the Zurich Premiership.
Bath's win over Gloucester made the result of this game academic but the
manner of the weary Wasps' collapse will set the alarm bells ringing as they
contemplate a tough end-of-season run-in.
The champions now face Northampton in the semi-final - an extra game they
could have done without as injuries mount as they attempt to add the Heineken
Cup to their Premiership title.
Leicester have not lost in the Premiership since the midwinter sacking of Dean
Richards and can now secure a Heineken Cup place via the Zurich wild card
competition.
Finishing sixth in the table means they will face Harlequins at Welford Road
on May 15 - with the winners going forward to play Gloucester or Sale.
There might have been a touch of good fortune to their two first half tries,
but this was an old-fashioned Leicester performance full of hard work and
ruthless finishing.
They added four further second half tries and full-back Andy Goode finished
with 28 points after adding two tries to his two penalties and six conversions.
Austin Healey grabbed a try in each half with Harry Ellis and Ollie Smith also
touching down. All Wasps could manage was a Stuart Abbott try and 12 points from
Alex King.
Wasps missed the injured Craig Dowd and Simon Shaw in the tight - particularly
in the scrums - but they still controlled long spells of the first half before
conceding two tries out of nothing in the 10 minutes before the break.
King and Goode traded penalties early on before Leicester were put under
pressure close to their line and Martin Corry was sent to the sin-bin, for
killing the ball, by referee Ashley Rowden.
King punished the offence with a second penalty and then Tom Voyce's scuttling
break set up the opening try.
The former Bath wing gained 50 metres of territory after fielding a loose
clearance and when he was finally brought down King moved the ball swiftly left
for Abbott to slide over on the left.
Leicester, though, got back into the game when Paul Volley and Mark Van
Gisbergen both missed Ellis' high kick, allowing Smith a free run to the line
from 30 metres out on the half hour.
King replied with his third penalty but within a minute the Tigers had struck
again. Rob Howley's kick was claimed by Geordan Murphy, who flipped the ball
away with Jaco Van der Westhuyzen's huge pass creating the space for Healey to
thread his way over out wide.
Goode converted both scores and put Leicester in command when he thumped a
penalty over from 55 metres before the half-time whistle.
King eased the sense of injustice when he clawed back another three points at
the start of the second half.
But Leicester's third try was a beauty, a long spell of pressure turned into
points by a deliciously subtle pass that gave Healey a stroll to the line in the
48th minute.
Goode claimed the bonus point when he touched down Leicester's fourth and he
helped himself to their fifth when he picked off an interception and cantered 80
metres for the score.
All three conversions put Leicester out of sight and with Bath leading at the
Rec, Warren Gatland pulled off all his major names with 20 minutes remaining.
And Ellis added to their misery by sliding in for the sixth try with Goode
gleefully converting to complete a flawless afternoon with the boot.
Teams:
Wasps: van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Waters, Abbott, Voyce, A. King,
Howley, Payne, Leota, Green, Purdy, Birkett, Dallaglio, Volley,
Lock.
Replacements: Erinle for Lewsey (60), Logan for Voyce (52),
Biljon for Howley (60), Gotting for Leota (54),
Mackenzie for Green (60), Hart for Birkett (60),
Skivington for Dallaglio (60).
Tries: Abbott.
Pens: A. King 4.
Leicester: Goode, Murphy, Lloyd, Smith, Healey,
van der Westhuyzen, Ellis, Morris, Chuter, White, M. Johnson,
Corry, L. Deacon, Back, W. Johnson.
Replacements: Gelderbloom for Lloyd (68),
F. Tuilagi for Healey (77), West for Chuter (75),
Balding for Back (63), H. Tuilagi for W. Johnson (75).
Not Used: Holford, Kay.
Sin Bin: Corry (7).
Tries: Smith, Healey 2, Goode 2, Ellis.
Cons: Goode 6.
Pens: Goode 2.
Att: 10,000
Ref: Ashley Rowden (RFU).
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