Tigers swot off Wasps challenge

Champs head for an early exit

Leicester Tigers underlined their Heineken Cup intentions with a highly impressive 35-27 over London Wasps at Welford Road on Sunday. The reigning champions were caught cold for the second week in succession and are now in danger of missing out on a quarter-final berth.

Neither side scored a bonus point, but the second successive victory for the Tigers over the Wasps is a severe blow for the London side's hopes of retaining their title.

After twenty minutes it seemed that the Tigers had destroyed the Wasps body and soul. They looked bewildered and well beaten, but somehow Lawrence Dallaglio's men found their way back into the game and ended level on tries.

Wasps' determination was nowhere more evident than in their scrummaging. Destroyed at home the week before, they stood up this week, twice wheeled the Tigers to win the put-in and shared the penalties at scrums two-all.

After Tigers fullback Geordan Murphy had done great things, the first scrum, five metres from the Wasps' line, produced the first penalty, the first outburst of emotion and the first points as Andy Goode goaled.

The Tigers at this stage were full of confidence. Goode got a half-gap and gave to Daryl Gibson who gave to sturdy Harry Ellis just inside the Tigers' half and in midfield. The scrum-half tore down the field, swept inside Josh Lewsey and shrugged off Ayoola Erinle to surge over for a great try. Goode converted. 10-0.

Goode then goaled three penalties as Leicester piled on the pressure, and it was 19-0. It could have been more when Leon Lloyd broke in the centre and then decided he really was a right-wing and veered inside ignoring the two free players outside of him and a great opportunity went begging.

At this stage the Tigers had been the recipients of four penalties, three of which Goode had goaled. Now it was their turn to be penalised, and Mark van Gisbergen goaled twice to make it 19-6.

Then Gibson chipped feebly. Stuart Abbott put up his hands and sped off with the ball for the Tigers' line. Ollie Smith hauled him in but the clever centre got the ball to Tom Voyce who sauntered into the posts. 19-13 - which was incredible given the Tigers' ascendancy.

Tigers immediately put themselves back in the driving seat with two late tries in the half. Goode tapped a penalty deep in his own half, raced away and then sent Austin Healey racing down the touch-line. Eventually George Chuter squeezed over in the corner, giving the television referee a tough decision.

Soon afterwards Abbott broke sharply - and the Tigers scored. Lawrence Dallaglio, who seemed to be the most unpopular man at Welford Road, flung the ball back and Geordan Murphy raced away with the ball. He gave to Ellis who did clever things to make space for Lloyd who went over in the corner.

This made the half-time score 29-13.

The Tigers need a single try for a bonus point, but they did not manage one, whereas Wasps got two in the second half.

First they attacked on their usual one-pass-one-tackle plan and eventually Joe Worsley burst through Goode. Not held he stood up. Felled by Neil Back he placed the ball near the posts for the try. 29-20 with half an hour to play.

Then cool-headed Goode kicked another two penalties. The first was from five metres inside his own half. It cleared the bar easily but did not produce even a flicker of emotion on the Tigers' fly-half's face. 35-20.

But the Wasps were not done - back they came. Healey failed to hold onto a bucking Rob Hoadley, on as a replacement for Erinle. Hoadley got a pass to prop Will Green who fell over for a try which Van Gisbergen converted from far out.

There were ten minutes left but the best thing that happened in that time was a run by Goode.

The match may not have had the intensity and aggression of the first one but it remained a contest of the highest quality.

The scorers:

For Leicester Tigers:
Tries: Ellis, Chuter, Lloyd
Cons: Goode
Pens: Goode 6

For London Wasps:
Tries: Voyce, Worsley, Green
Cons: Van Gisbergen 3
Pens: Van Gisbergen 2