By Loose Head
September 22 2003

Both teams under-performed the previous week and really needed a win to get their season going. The Leeds backs on paper at least looked very useful. There was of course the L factor –Steve Lander the ref. Anything could happen! In the end it was a well deserved but hardly satisfying win for Wasps. Leeds came out with a game plan to be very physical up front, spoiling rucks wherever possible and generally disrupting the strong Wasps pack. It was a scrappy and ill-tempered first half. With only 15 minutes gone Greening found himself on the floor at a ruck and was blatantly stamped on, nowhere near the ball. What was worse was that the stamping was under the nose of the touch judge and on Greening's head. The TJ is reported to have said later that he didn't see the stamping. An absolutely preposterous notion. If true however it puts a severe question mark over his competence. Not noticing a knock on or a forward pass is one thing. Not being able to see someone being repeatedly stamped on the head only yards away from you is mind boggling. The alternative, that he did see it and decided to take no action is a frightening prospect for the game such that one cannot believe it to be true.

Wasps dominated through forward power and repeated got within a few yards of the line. Time after time the ball was taken off the ruck standing still, no penetration. Two or three tries went begging in the first 20 minutes just through a ball receiver not running from deep. There is also the L factor. Wasps had many penalties throughout the game for Leeds handling on the ground. One of the penalties was three yards out under the Leeds posts. There are refs who would be looking at a penalty try in such a circumstance, a bit harsh but not unknown. Quite why there were no yellow cards shown remains a mystery. This is the sort of offence the yellow card was invented for.

Wasps were getting a score together through van Gisbergen's penalty kicks. At 32 minutes, Leeds were mounting a strong attack which had their backs running from deep picking holes in the hurredly reorganising Wasps defensive line to see Scarborough going in for a try which was easily converted. The score was 9-7, which remained so at half time and a few butterflies fluttered in the crowd. Wasps unable to close out scoring opportunities when they presented themselves and paying a dear price.

Trevor Leota started the second half, replacing Greening who was not fully ok since having his head mashed – funny that. Mixed bag of affairs with a penalty here and there for no apparent reason. Leeds on the attack shipping the ball out. At 43 mins, a tackle from Simon Shaw, which was at or about the same time the ball arrived at his target, wrecked the passing and Howley was able to intercept for a long but easy run in for a try under the posts. A lucky try, true enough, but it did seem to calm a few nerves around the place. Including your humble correspondent's. Another ruck and another penalty for Leeds messing around saw the score ratchet up further.

The backs came alive and at 52 mins Fraser was released to break the opposition line as he does so often. Maybe he could have scored himself, but the safer option of a simple fix the fullback and pop pass saw van Gisbergen in for a try. This one was indeed well earned, no reliance on luck this time. With the conversion the score was Wasps 26 Leeds 7. Even the most pessimistic were getting confident of a win.

An exchange of pointless kicking ensued for a little while. At 57 minutes Wasps threw away a try after doing all the hard work. Shane Roiser had broken up the right wing, Fraser in support. Shane was tackled pretty much on the line, maybe 2 inches away. He tried to get a pass away too late and it ended up going straight into Fraser's knees. He grabbed for it but it was a terrible ball and he knocked on. Practically Fraser's next pace was in goal. It was that close.

Leeds were able to score again with a penalty kick. Why they took a penalty kick is a little hard to fathom. 26-7 down on 61 minutes, your first kickable penalty. Doesn't seem the best way to challenge for victory. That’s worth noting, Wasps didn’t haemorrhage points through indiscipline as sometimes in the past.

Oogie was on for Denney by now. Those who were at the Bordeaux away game had an "I told you so" moment as Oogie was popped the ball and was able to accelerate through a gap between two Leeds players and around another. It was a real Champagne moment. He has become much more reliable and has lost that habit he had of spilling the ball in the tackle. He is coming along very nicely.

Richards was on for a rather battered looking Howley. A penalty to Wasps at 84 minutes saw him tap and go. Leeds weren't back the full 10 metres so the penalty was marched up field, close enough for Richards to tap and go and power into the corner. Van Gisbergen converted from the touch-line to complete a perfect goal-kicking performance. His drop kicks were another matter, two restarts out on the full and an attempt at a drop goal which was embarrassingly lame. Still, nobody is perfect.

Lander called it a day, which seemed a tad prompt as there had been all sorts of breaks in play. Injuries – fair enough. Twice a Leeds lock had to replace his boot and everyone waited for him. Pedantry is a bit of a pastime on the Drunken Wasps website, so here’s a bit. The laws state that no time shall be allowed for adjustment of clothing and footwear. But then again the laws state that there is the ball carrier being tackled, the tackler and anyone after that has to stay on their feet. Ho ho ho Mr Lander.

Final score Wasps 33 Leeds 10. A comprehensive but sloppy win with up to four tries gone begging.

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Loose Head