Wasps
A Game of Two Teams?
Wasps
By RT January 2 2006
I can’t remember which year it was but in 2001 or 2 we played Wasps at the MadStad with ref Chris White just after Xmas. The game was very close until ?Mark Mapletoft? chipped the Wasps rush defence with the ball being caught by a LI player with Paul Sackey by his side and only one player to beat.
Wasps
I can’t remember which year it was but in 2001 or 2 we played Wasps at the MadStad with ref Chris White just after Xmas. The game was very close until ?Mark Mapletoft? chipped the Wasps rush defence with the ball being caught by a LI player with Paul Sackey by his side and only one player to beat.
Except Chris White blew for offside, Wasps kicked the penalty and never looked back.
That day we were competitive to that point. Yesterday despite the score being 6 – 6 after 25 mins, LI were not in the game and it was only when the big guns came off the bench including ‘Big Bob’ who was everywhere did we become competitive. There was talk in the paper of LI being able to field two teams of equal strength but the truth was revealed yesterday. We have a very powerful front 8 and we can swap individuals in and out but the wholesale changes made for yesterday left us holding on to Wasps coattails for most of the match.
I suppose a question to be asked is would we have swapped losing at Vicarage Road with the team that started yesterday, with being competitive from the start yesterday with the team that eventually arrived after 50 minutes (by which time we were 27 – 9 down). We will never know but with 18,122 people watching how many will have gone away saying ‘same old LI, flatter to deceive’ rather than ‘I must come again for the Leicester game because LI were unlucky to lose / won a great game’?
The Game
From the off LI look nervous. There’s a period of aerial ping pong with Mike Horak at some point throwing a wild pass in his 22 which nearly leads to a turnover. First line out to LI which is caught by Nick K and LI try and drive. Wasps stop the drive and make a mess of things. Eventually Wasps get the ball and create space in the backs with ominous ease. LI clear to their 22 and then steal Wasps first line out. We run the ball until Spreadbury calls Wasps for tackling without the ball on the half-way line when Ross Laidlaw kicks into Wasps 22. Another good catch is marred by the failure to drive the line forward and when the ball is released to the girls, Ross tries a grubber which rebounds into his hands and he’s half-away.
The ball ends up with an Wasps line out on Wasps 22 but before it’s taken Hart for Wasps goes down ‘injured’. The physio is on but from the urgency of the discussions between the two of them, Hart is obviously being given instructions on some aspect of Wasps play. A poor Wasps clearance gives LI another lineout but again no immediate drive. Strudwick breaks down the blindside and passes inside to Edwards who knocks on. Wasps get a free kick from the resulting scrum which they take quickly and move to the middle of the pitch where Franze is caught off-side. Wasps tap and go again and Sackey is clear down the right wing. Mike Catt gets in the way and collects a bang on his temple which leaves him looking like one of the characters from ‘The Mummy’ with a scarab beetle under his skin. The ball comes towards the West stand where there’s a 5 man overlap for Wasps but LI go offside and mess up the Wasps attack. Penalty to Wasps for 0 – 3 after 8 ½ mins play.
From the ensuing kick-off Wasps carve open LI for the 3rd time but Delon is so far behind that he intercepts a Wasps pass and sets off down the pitch. He gets into the 22 but can’t escape the Wasps’ cover defence and kicks the ball through as he’s being tackled. Mike Catt following up can’t collect but ensures that Wasps carry the ball over their own line and the touch down gives LI a 5 metre scrum – their 1st put in. The scrum collapses and Spreadbury penalises Wasps loosehead. Ross kicks the penalty and it’s 3 – 3 after 10 mins.
There was a sense sometimes yesterday that the initial team didn’t know what they were trying to do. This was exemplified by Wasps kick-off. The balls goes to Spud (as every Wasps kick-off did) who runs forward 5 metres and then throws a pass into thin air in front of the posts. Wasps gather the ball but good LI defence keeps them out and Wasps get the scrum. LI get a nudge on and the scrum wheels. I’m at the other end of the ground but I’m convinced that Doolally knocks on as he tries to pick the ball up but I’m not the referee and Wasps get a penalty from the ensuing play. 3 – 6 after 15 mins.
Mike Catt now has his head bandaged and after the LI kick-off he gets the ball to within 15 metres of the Wasps line. LI apply pressure and eventually get a penalty for holding on and it’s 6 – 6.
The next 5 mins are pretty non-descript except for a great Ross Laidlaw tackle which leads to an LI turnover. Ominously, Tom Voyce continues to break LI tackles easily and it takes 3 or 4 attempts to put him down. From the ensuing Ruck, Reddan throws a very flat pass to his forwards on the LI 22 who break the gain line easily. From the ensuing ruck, Wasps go left and the inside pass from Abbott puts Lewsey in for the try under the posts. 6 – 13 after 25 mins.
From the kick-off LI get the ball and Mike Catt stands at fly-half but we still have no penetration. It’s now Wasps turn to get a penalty for collapsing at the scrum and they kick the ball down to the LI 22. From the line out Wasps do get a drive on. Worsley breaks from the side and he’s over without an LI hand being laid on him. 6 – 20 after 29 mins.
Wasps go offside at the kick-off from their own knock-on. Ross kicks the penalty. 9 – 20.
Wasps get a penalty and kick into the LI 22 but their throw in is crooked and LI get the scrum. We make heavy weather of clearing the ball and Wasps have the throw 5 metres from the line. We get our 3rd steal and from the ensuing play get a penalty which is kicked to midway. Darren Edwards hits a great box kick to Paul Sackey with Dom Feau’nati bearing down on him. Sackey is down and seems to be holding on to the ball for dear life but Spreadbury sees an LI offside at the ruck and the penalty goes to Wasps. Dom is hurt and is replaced by Paul Hodgson, that well-known winger.
Another line out steal by LI leads to a penalty and a lineout. Still no go-forward and the half ends with Delon trying to kick a penalty from our 10 metre line – he’s 15 metres short.
Half Time: 9 – 20 to Wasps
The second half starts with the first of the big guns coming on with Coetzee for Flavin and Erinle on for Abbott. There are a large number of subs coming during the second half. By the end, LI have used every player from the bench, some tactical others enforced.
From the kick-off, LI get a penalty at a ruck for either offside or hands in. Ross tries the kick from halfway but he’s just short. Neal Hatley is on for Mike Collins.
Wasps break again and its amazing that they don’t score – but then they do with Ibanez trundling over and with only 7 minutes of the 2nd half gone, Wasps are now out of sight at 27 – 9.
Big Bob now appears as does McKenzie for Wasps and at last we see an LI line go-forward on the drive. From the kick-off Paul Hodgson does brilliantly to mess up the Wasps take and nearly scores. A big tackle by Richard Thorpe leads to an LI penalty and from the lineout on the Wasps 22, LI drive the lineout to within a few metres of the Wasps’ line. Ross Laidlaw and Mike Catt make stabs at the line but the ball breaks to Big Bob who is unstoppable. 16 – 27 with 26 mins left. Is there another Agen in the tank?
Mike Catt comes off to be replaced by Geezer at inside centre; Doolally retires to the sin-bin for 10 mins from the events leading up to the LI try.
The ball gets kicked into Wasps corner but Wasps throw short to McKenzie and clear their lines. Ross Laidlaw gets penalised for holding on which seems very harsh in the circumstances even more so when Van G kicks the goal 16 – 30 with 19 mins left.
The LI forwards are now making significant in-roads from picking and driving and LI get another penalty which Ross converts. 19 – 30 but its Wasps who look likely to score another try even with 14 men.
Doolally comes back but LI still drive forward. Darren Edwards retires hurt with Barry Everitt replacing him and showing off his scrum half skills. With 10 mins left on the clock Doug Wheatly replaces Faan. but the game from LI’s perspective is petering out. Even though Van G misses a penalty from straight in front of the posts, Wasps have the final word with a try from Skivington to make the final score 19 – 35.
Reflections
What would the game have been like from the start if LI had managed to push Wasps back as they did from the 50 min mark onwards? We never created any clear opportunities in the backs with Wasps rush defence in complete control. But that comes from never having to retreat at pace when your forwards are being rumbled backwards.
Next week’s game against Leicester becomes very important for our Premiership season. If we don’t play up-front then it will be another ‘bad day at the office’ and thoughts of a play-off place will probably be gone. Win and we’ll have won 4 out of 5 very tough games and be in a great position for February and March.
For myself I’d rather we’d put on a performance yesterday for the 18,000+ crowd and lost at Sarries than the other way round as the more bums on seats at the MadStad the better the atmosphere, fun and sense of home invincibility generated. We’ll just have to see where we go from here.
That day we were competitive to that point. Yesterday despite the score being 6 – 6 after 25 mins, LI were not in the game and it was only when the big guns came off the bench including ‘Big Bob’ who was everywhere did we become competitive. There was talk in the paper of LI being able to field two teams of equal strength but the truth was revealed yesterday. We have a very powerful front 8 and we can swap individuals in and out but the wholesale changes made for yesterday left us holding on to Wasps coattails for most of the match.
I suppose a question to be asked is would we have swapped losing at Vicarage Road with the team that started yesterday, with being competitive from the start yesterday with the team that eventually arrived after 50 minutes (by which time we were 27 – 9 down). We will never know but with 18,122 people watching how many will have gone away saying ‘same old LI, flatter to deceive’ rather than ‘I must come again for the Leicester game because LI were unlucky to lose / won a great game’?
The Game
From the off LI look nervous. There’s a period of aerial ping pong with Mike Horak at some point throwing a wild pass in his 22 which nearly leads to a turnover. First line out to LI which is caught by Nick K and LI try and drive. Wasps stop the drive and make a mess of things. Eventually Wasps get the ball and create space in the backs with ominous ease. LI clear to their 22 and then steal Wasps first line out. We run the ball until Spreadbury calls Wasps for tackling without the ball on the half-way line when Ross Laidlaw kicks into Wasps 22. Another good catch is marred by the failure to drive the line forward and when the ball is released to the girls, Ross tries a grubber which rebounds into his hands and he’s half-away.
The ball ends up with an Wasps line out on Wasps 22 but before it’s taken Hart for Wasps goes down ‘injured’. The physio is on but from the urgency of the discussions between the two of them, Hart is obviously being given instructions on some aspect of Wasps play. A poor Wasps clearance gives LI another lineout but again no immediate drive. Strudwick breaks down the blindside and passes inside to Edwards who knocks on. Wasps get a free kick from the resulting scrum which they take quickly and move to the middle of the pitch where Franze is caught off-side. Wasps tap and go again and Sackey is clear down the right wing. Mike Catt gets in the way and collects a bang on his temple which leaves him looking like one of the characters from ‘The Mummy’ with a scarab beetle under his skin. The ball comes towards the West stand where there’s a 5 man overlap for Wasps but LI go offside and mess up the Wasps attack. Penalty to Wasps for 0 – 3 after 8 ½ mins play.
From the ensuing kick-off Wasps carve open LI for the 3rd time but Delon is so far behind that he intercepts a Wasps pass and sets off down the pitch. He gets into the 22 but can’t escape the Wasps’ cover defence and kicks the ball through as he’s being tackled. Mike Catt following up can’t collect but ensures that Wasps carry the ball over their own line and the touch down gives LI a 5 metre scrum – their 1st put in. The scrum collapses and Spreadbury penalises Wasps loosehead. Ross kicks the penalty and it’s 3 – 3 after 10 mins.
There was a sense sometimes yesterday that the initial team didn’t know what they were trying to do. This was exemplified by Wasps kick-off. The balls goes to Spud (as every Wasps kick-off did) who runs forward 5 metres and then throws a pass into thin air in front of the posts. Wasps gather the ball but good LI defence keeps them out and Wasps get the scrum. LI get a nudge on and the scrum wheels. I’m at the other end of the ground but I’m convinced that Doolally knocks on as he tries to pick the ball up but I’m not the referee and Wasps get a penalty from the ensuing play. 3 – 6 after 15 mins.
Mike Catt now has his head bandaged and after the LI kick-off he gets the ball to within 15 metres of the Wasps line. LI apply pressure and eventually get a penalty for holding on and it’s 6 – 6.
The next 5 mins are pretty non-descript except for a great Ross Laidlaw tackle which leads to an LI turnover. Ominously, Tom Voyce continues to break LI tackles easily and it takes 3 or 4 attempts to put him down. From the ensuing Ruck, Reddan throws a very flat pass to his forwards on the LI 22 who break the gain line easily. From the ensuing ruck, Wasps go left and the inside pass from Abbott puts Lewsey in for the try under the posts. 6 – 13 after 25 mins.
From the kick-off LI get the ball and Mike Catt stands at fly-half but we still have no penetration. It’s now Wasps turn to get a penalty for collapsing at the scrum and they kick the ball down to the LI 22. From the line out Wasps do get a drive on. Worsley breaks from the side and he’s over without an LI hand being laid on him. 6 – 20 after 29 mins.
Wasps go offside at the kick-off from their own knock-on. Ross kicks the penalty. 9 – 20.
Wasps get a penalty and kick into the LI 22 but their throw in is crooked and LI get the scrum. We make heavy weather of clearing the ball and Wasps have the throw 5 metres from the line. We get our 3rd steal and from the ensuing play get a penalty which is kicked to midway. Darren Edwards hits a great box kick to Paul Sackey with Dom Feau’nati bearing down on him. Sackey is down and seems to be holding on to the ball for dear life but Spreadbury sees an LI offside at the ruck and the penalty goes to Wasps. Dom is hurt and is replaced by Paul Hodgson, that well-known winger.
Another line out steal by LI leads to a penalty and a lineout. Still no go-forward and the half ends with Delon trying to kick a penalty from our 10 metre line – he’s 15 metres short.
Half Time: 9 – 20 to Wasps
The second half starts with the first of the big guns coming on with Coetzee for Flavin and Erinle on for Abbott. There are a large number of subs coming during the second half. By the end, LI have used every player from the bench, some tactical others enforced.
From the kick-off, LI get a penalty at a ruck for either offside or hands in. Ross tries the kick from halfway but he’s just short. Neal Hatley is on for Mike Collins.
Wasps break again and its amazing that they don’t score – but then they do with Ibanez trundling over and with only 7 minutes of the 2nd half gone, Wasps are now out of sight at 27 – 9.
Big Bob now appears as does McKenzie for Wasps and at last we see an LI line go-forward on the drive. From the kick-off Paul Hodgson does brilliantly to mess up the Wasps take and nearly scores. A big tackle by Richard Thorpe leads to an LI penalty and from the lineout on the Wasps 22, LI drive the lineout to within a few metres of the Wasps’ line. Ross Laidlaw and Mike Catt make stabs at the line but the ball breaks to Big Bob who is unstoppable. 16 – 27 with 26 mins left. Is there another Agen in the tank?
Mike Catt comes off to be replaced by Geezer at inside centre; Doolally retires to the sin-bin for 10 mins from the events leading up to the LI try.
The ball gets kicked into Wasps corner but Wasps throw short to McKenzie and clear their lines. Ross Laidlaw gets penalised for holding on which seems very harsh in the circumstances even more so when Van G kicks the goal 16 – 30 with 19 mins left.
The LI forwards are now making significant in-roads from picking and driving and LI get another penalty which Ross converts. 19 – 30 but its Wasps who look likely to score another try even with 14 men.
Doolally comes back but LI still drive forward. Darren Edwards retires hurt with Barry Everitt replacing him and showing off his scrum half skills. With 10 mins left on the clock Doug Wheatly replaces Faan. but the game from LI’s perspective is petering out. Even though Van G misses a penalty from straight in front of the posts, Wasps have the final word with a try from Skivington to make the final score 19 – 35.
Reflections
What would the game have been like from the start if LI had managed to push Wasps back as they did from the 50 min mark onwards? We never created any clear opportunities in the backs with Wasps rush defence in complete control. But that comes from never having to retreat at pace when your forwards are being rumbled backwards.
Next week’s game against Leicester becomes very important for our Premiership season. If we don’t play up-front then it will be another ‘bad day at the office’ and thoughts of a play-off place will probably be gone. Win and we’ll have won 4 out of 5 very tough games and be in a great position for February and March.
For myself I’d rather we’d put on a performance yesterday for the 18,000+ crowd and lost at Sarries than the other way round as the more bums on seats at the MadStad the better the atmosphere, fun and sense of home invincibility generated. We’ll just have to see where we go from here.
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