Wasps marched into the semi-finals of the EDF Energy Cup with their second convincing home victory over Newcastle in the space of six days.

The return of England stars Jonny Wilkinson, playing his first match since the World Cup final, and Toby Flood failed to improve the fortunes of Falcons, beaten 35-12 by Wasps in the Guinness Premiership last Sunday.

Newcastle, outgunned up front in the first half, introduced their new big-money signing Carl Hayman for his debut at half-time following his arrival from New Zealand on Monday.

All Black Hayman - rated the best prop forward in the world - gave them a more physical presence in the forward battle but was unable to turn the tide.

Danny Cipriani, rapidly enhancing his fast-growing reputation as England's fly-half of the future, went head to head with Wilkinson for the first time and came out on top.

The youngster contributed 14 points, with four penalties and a conversion, while Wilkinson could muster only two penalty goals.

Cipriani benefited from playing behind a Wasps pack who welcomed back internationals Lawrence Dallaglio and Simon Shaw to their starting line-up and dominated in the first half.

Twenty-year-old Cipriani, playing in his preferred number 10 shirt after being introduced to first-team rugby as a full-back, had scored two tries in last week's win over Newcastle.

He put the skids under the visitors again with two penalties in the opening 16 minutes as the Falcons played into a raging hailstorm for a 10-minute spell early in the match.

Wasps increased their lead when scrum-half Eoin Reddan grabbed an opportunist try in the 22nd minute.

Counter-attacking after Newcastle lost possession on the halfway line, Reddan, who finished the World Cup as Ireland's first-choice number nine, kicked ahead and won the race to dive on the loose ball for the touchdown in the left-hand corner.

Wasps moved further ahead with a penalty try 12 minutes later after Newcastle repeatedly and illegally disrupted the home side's highly-effective forward drive.

Newcastle prop Jon Golding was shown a yellow card after the third offence and when Newcastle transgressed a fourth time, after Wasps opted for yet another scrum instead of a penalty kick, referee Malcolm Changleng finally ran out of patience and awarded the penalty try which Cipriani converted from in front of the posts.

Wasps' 18-0 half-time lead was exactly the same as in last weekend's victory and, although Wilkinson briefly raised Falcons' hopes with two penalties in the opening seven minutes of the second half, the home side remained in control.

Cipriani restored their 18-point lead with two more penalties and the home side held firm when Newcastle mounted a late assault to try to retrieve the game.

Wilkinson passed up three penalty-kicking opportunities to go for the corner in search of a try but his team were unable to breach the well-drilled Wasps' defence as the London side ensured their place in the semi-finals at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on March 22.