Pests Hand Exiles a Rugby Tutorial
Over 18,000 punters ensured that the biggest gate outside of Twickenham was achieved for this London Derby on the last day of 2005. It was also personal celebrations as both Edwards and Strudwick lead out the side, making their 150th league appearances.Most left the Madstad knowing that a good game of rugby was delivered, and that London Wasps are in no mood to give up their title, going top after collecting a deserved bonus point.
For the Exile fans, well the craic was still a mighty feast to be had despite the lessons taught our chargers from the Champions.
Brian Smith, who must have felt that two games in four days forced him to freshen the side and rely on the squad, made twelve changes after the fine win over Sarries. Horak, Armitage and Rautenbach, the three lads retaining their starting berth.
Smith also handed first Premiership starts to Ross Laidlaw and Richard Thorpe, both taking their opportunities and showing the potential for our future years, Laidlaw claiming 14 points from his boot.
The pests won this game despite their frailties in the set piece. Kennedy, who had a superb all round game, even without his partner in crime, Casey, dominated their lineout. At scrum time, Irish also had the slight advantage.
For all that fat boy exile grunt, the Pests looked dangerous every time they had ball in hand. They were also putting tremendous pressure on the home side at every breakdown, with their back row of Dayglow, the returning Worsley and O’Connor ever present in all exchanges.
After tit-for-tat penalty exchanges between Van Gisbergen and Laidlaw, the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and ran in two tries.
From ruck ball, the Pests secured great ball and pinged it West, through hands before arriving with Lewsey, who dotted down unopposed under the posts.
Worsley was next to break through, slipping through from the back of a maul to complete his comeback after 11 weeks out through injury.
Laidlaw reduced the arrears with a penalty, but the score was sat on 20 – 9 to the visitors as Spreaders blew for half time.
Spreaders had been his normal self, talking a lot to the players about his decisions, and certainly seemed to have recovered from his car crash on his way to Brizzle over the festive period. The only one major talking point was when Sacks held on to the ball under pressure from Feaunati, who was on his feet wanting the ball. Wasps got away with it and were able to clear their lines from a penalty award for exile infringement in contact.
This was to be Feaunati’s last piece of the action as he limped off to be replaced by Hodgson, exposing the two girls on the bench policy chased by Brian Smith.
The second period started and Irish knew that a quick score was required to get back into the game, and the firepower was starting to get pitch time. Coetzee came on for Flavin, who had churned out another steady performance for his beloved club. Laidlaw missed a long ranger in his attempt to get the scoreboard moving, before Hatley came on for Collins.
Try as Irish might, the gainline was a battle to breach, with the fastest rush defence known to man being employed by the Wasps. The visitors did not seem to have this problem, with the elusive Voyce showing his quality in finding excellent running lines, Abbot finding time and space to deliver passes to his abundant attack runners and of course the world class Lewsey popping up everywhere.
Through these star performers, Wasps found space and broke from their own 22. The pace was too much for Irish to contain, but the Pests failed to take a huge overlap opportunity with Erinle being dumped with the ball before he could release out wide. Still, the pests retained the ball through various phases, before Ibanez burst through to claim another try.
A huge blow for the home side, and probably the score to end any thoughts of an unbelievable comeback.
Irish spirit was not crushed, however, and Casey replaced Strudwick to a tremendous reception that seemed to lift the fans and players alike. It was the big man that claimed a try that renewed interest in the game after a catch and drive was well executed, leaving Casey to dive over. The real bonus from this was Dayglow getting ten minutes for removing the scrum cap from the head of Kennedy.
For all their chasing, Irish seemed to lack the bit of genius to unlock a determined defence. Catt, a likely candidate, leaves to be replaced at centre by Leguizamon and Edwards is replaced at scrum half by, er … Everitt.
A penalty landed from both sides left Irish chasing a losing BP, before Wasps killed this notion, with Skivington claiming the try bonus for the Pests. 35 – 19 the final score.
Brian Smith was full of praise for the young lads, but also in his admiration for London Wasps. The visitors had come to Reading with a real purpose and set about their jobs clinically.
For Irish, there were areas to improve on, but the education given to all the team will be taken on board and improve them as players. With academy graduates in the shape of Kennedy, Flavin, Laidlaw, Armitage and Thorpe playing their parts, the exiles will move on from this.
Tigers up next, with injury worries abound, but a squad fully blooded and rested.
-- Jock Exile