By Barney Burnham
December 7 2004

Wasps A XV kept up their 100% record in the Zurich A League, with a 53-26 victory over Gloucester at Imber Court. Wasps are now level on points with Harlequins, but the reigning champions lead the table through scoring two more tries. The first serious attack of the game came on 3 minutes, after Wasps won good lineout ball. Harvey Biljon and James Brooks combined well to send Tim Foster away down the right, but he was tackled into touch, a few yards short of the line.

Sadly, it was his last contribution to the game, as he was knocked out by the heavy tackle, and required several minutes of treatment, before leaving the field to be replaced by James Wellwood.

Wasps opened their account after 9 minutes, with a fine try from Rob Hoadley, who showed speed and strength to go over to the right of the posts. James Brooks missed the conversion, but he was on target seven minutes later, after Ali McKenzie finished off an unstoppable catch and drive, from a lineout near the Gloucester line.

Wasps were now completely dominant, and looked threatening every time they attacked, but it was Gloucester who scored next. After a move down the right, the Wasps backs appeared to have acres of space out left - but Brooks's pass was intercepted by his opposite number Rory Teague, who raced in from halfway to touch down under the posts and convert his own try, to make the score 12-7.

Wasps stretched their lead on the half-hour, after James Haskell made a typically powerful burst from a scrum. He was halted on the line, but when the ball was moved out to the backs, Hoadley chose an excellent running line, to come in at speed and cross for his second try of the night, which Brooks again converted.

19-7 became 24-7, after Mike Roberts finished a flowing move which featured Ben Gotting, Brooks and John Hart.

Wasps then came within a whisker of adding two more tries before the break. First, a storming run by Haskell started a move which ended with Wellwood being stopped just short of the line. He stretched out and appeared to touch down, but referee Ashley Rowden penalised him for failing to release the ball.

A minute later, Mike Roberts was penalised for the same offence, after a desperate last-ditch tackle stopped him just short of the line.

The half ended with James Brooks limping off, after suffering an ankle injury. He was replaced by scrumhalf James Honeyben, with Harvey Biljon moving to outside-half.

Whatever the Gloucester coaches,(including former Kingsholm hero Andy Deacon), said to their team at the break had an immediate effect, as they scored three tries within 10 minutes, to take a surprise 26-24 lead.

The first came when Wellwood lost the ball in the tackle, near halfway. Gloucester had a huge overlap, and quick passing sent Teague clear. He could have scored himself, but unselfishly passed to flanker Luke Narraway for a try which Teague couldn't convert.

He did add the extra points, to make it 24-19, after a defence-splitting run by centre Jack Adams sent fullback Pete Swatkins over. And his conversion to Mark Foster's try completed an astonishing recovery - but that was as good as it got for Gloucester.

Wasps were stung into action, and stormed back with 4 tries in 15 minutes. More good lineout possession released McKenzie for another powerful charge, which was stopped on the line, but Haskell was in support, to go over by the posts. Biljon added the extra points.

Another good run by Hoadley then set up Matt Priscott's first try in the Zurich A league, which Biljon again converted. Priscott also featured in the move which ended in McKenzie's second try of the night. Then came the try of the match from Roberts, finishing off a move begun by Honeyben, deep inside his own half.

22 points down, Gloucester never let their heads drop, and they should have added a fifth try. Swatkins made a good run, which would have sent Tom Jarvis over in the corner. Unfortunately, he didn't notice that the winger had come inside, and a potential scoring pass sailed harmlessly into touch.

It was Biljon who scored the night's final try, completing a move set up by another fine run by Rees. The flanker then gave another demonstration of his running skills with a magnificent break down the left touchline, but the unmarked Rob Laird couldn't hold on to a poor pass.

With Gloucester striving bravely for another try, Roberts was sent to the sinbin, for tackling a man without the ball, and it then took a crunching cover tackle by replacement flanker John-Paul Filler, to send Jarvis into touch at the corner.

By the end of another typically entertaining game, Wasps had outscored the visitors by nine tries to four.

Coach Shaun Edwards said it had been a "very pleasing" result. "Our scrummaging was the best it's been all season, We were totally dominant there. Apart from the opening 10 minutes of the second half, our attack worked well, but we know that our defence will have to be much tighter, when we play Quins."

Wasps meet their top-of-the-table rivals at The Stoop, on January the 24th - probably after the still to be rearranged visit to London Irish. Wasps are now seven points clear of third-placed Gloucester, with a game in hand. With four games to play, two of them against Harlequins, there's still everything to play for, and a playoff place looks on the cards. We all know about Wasps and playoffs!

Happy Christmas!