Wasps visited Stevenage for the first time and managed their second away win of the season in a well fought game, which both sides can take positives from. Wasps were given the opportunity to play down the slope first, on what was a very well covered good quality playing surface, and they were straight on the attack, moving the ball quickly and certainly had the better of the opening exchanges, with Backs and Forwards both showing a desire to play an expansive game. After four minutes a well executed switch move, between Sam and BJ, saw BJ strolling under the posts, only to be called back by the Referee for an adjudged forward pass.
The disappointment did not last long as within five more minutes, after several positive attacking plays Wasps opened their account. From a line-out just outside the Stevenage twenty-two Wasps caught the ball and drove forward, taking their opposition by surprise, Rory and Luke peeled off and inter-passed before a quick ruck allowed Blayne to be released and run in untouched wide out and take the ball in much nearer to the posts. He added the conversion to take Wasps into a deserved lead. Stevenage 0 Wasps 7.
The next ten minutes saw a stalemate situation played out between the Stevenage twenty-two and the halfway line, with both sides making basic handling errors and their was no real flow to either sides attempts to attack. Wasps were clearly pressing Stevenage into errors and were equally guilty of taking poor options or inaccuracy in their ball presentation or passing themselves. In a nut-shell they were probably playing too quickly and forcing passes when there was no need to. However, Wasps defensive pressing led to the next score. Stevenage in possession of the ball tried to drive through the Wasps Forwards, the ball was dropped, knocked backwards and bounced at an acute angle away from the retreating Stevenage Forwards. Blayne was on hand and scooped up the loose ball, beat two defenders, who were slightly on the back foot, before cruising over unopposed to score halfway out. He added the conversion to take Wasps into a solid lead of 14 points with twenty minutes played.
The game continued to be played mainly in the Stevenage half but invariably outside their twenty-two. Wasps too eager, whilst Stevenage were kicking long diagonals when in possession, to gain ground, as Wasps were certainly matching them in the rucks and mauls and stopping their driving game at source. One Stevenage breakout saw their Outside Centre make an excellent clean break, but he did become isolated and a good defensive tackle by Sam saw him pulled down just inside the Wasps twenty-two.
Nick and Aussie Alex both had good wide runs from inside the Wasps twenty-two when recovering attacking kicks from Stevenage. This was partially allowed because the chasing attackers eased up and appeared to wait for the Wasps players to come to them. So a game of one side playing ball in hand trying to make ground, and making mistakes, whilst the other side were kicking for territory, but not fully committing to chase in numbers ensued.
This continued until the final minutes of the half, when Wasps realising that fourteen points was perhaps not a correct reflection of the slopes value and started to play with more pace and some degree of accuracy. A number of half breaks and solid Forward drives had Stevenage on the back-foot and giving away a series of penalties and free-kicks. One such kick was quickly tapped and taken by BJ, who scooted off down the blind side where he drew the last defender before passing to the ever present Blayne who scored on the fifteen metre line. The conversion was narrowly wide but as the half-time whistle blew Wasps were in a more comfortable lead. Stevenage 0 Wasps 19.
Wasps turned round to face the slope thinking that they needed a good ten minutes to stabilise their lead and too take away and quieten down any desires that Stevenage may have had, as they had clearly chosen to play down the pitch in the second-half for a reason.
Wasps received the kick-off appallingly, allowing it to bounce twice. Fortunately it bounced at an angle into Parkers ever present hands, and he drove forward going to the floor setting up a forward moving ruck, the loose bounce of the ball had encouraged Stevenage to over commit towards the ball, Wasps having gained a slight, but decisive forward movement and a quick ruck ball used it well. The ball passed quickly from Ben to Blayne through the Centres, who were all at depth, to Nick on the opposite wing. He was going at speed as he caught the ball inside his own twenty-two and proceeded to go outside the covering defence as he approached the halfway line. Now faced with only the Fullback to beat he stepped in and went outside the final defender to score what must be Wasps Try of the season to-date. Blayne converted, a score that was worthy of the full seven points, to take Wasps into a commanding lead Stevenage 0 Wasps 26. This one twenty second series of passes had gained Wasps their bonus point try and had immediately dented Stevenages hopes of an early first score themselves. This had all happened without them touching the ball or possibly even a moving Wasps player after the kick-off.
The next fifteen minutes saw Stevenage close the game right down, with enforced injuries in their Backs they reverted to a total catch and drive mauling game, and also played an almost exclusively slow ball drill at the breakdowns. Although this fully tested Wasps defensively it did become predictable and a static attritional game occurred. Wasps were being too easily satisfied and Stevenage were most likely pleased that they were having the majority of possession and were not having to chase around after the livelier Wasps Backs.
Stevenage huffed and puffed and continued to press the Wasps line and were eventually rewarded with a good ‘pick and go’ Try that they thoroughly deserved. The conversion took the score to Stevenage 7 Wasps 26 with twenty three minutes to go. This score, certainly reinvigorated Stevenage and they pressed even harder, having the majority of the ball around the Wasps twenty-two. They started to mix their game up a bit more and began to incorporate their Backs. This gave the Wasps Backs a chance to show their defensive mettle and Fraser, Sam and BJ all made telling defensive contributions. But the stalwart of the defence through this period, as he had been throughout the match to-date, was Freddie, who was chopping Stevenage players down all over the park, normally with his opponent going backwards. He was also carrying ball with some degree of gusto when Wasps were in possession. His return to the side, after his leg injury from the first game of the season showed (a) his frustration and (b) what a miss he has been.
Stevenage continued to have the better of this phase of the game and were duly rewarded with a second Try, when they executed a well controlled catch and drive from a line-out to score halfway out. The conversion was missed but at Stevenage 12 Wasps 26 there was a glimmer of a potential recovery on the horizon for them.
Wasps responded well to this situation and controlled where the game was played throughout the final twenty minutes. Mixing Forward drives with well executed Backs moves they created a number of half chances. From one such attack another switch between Sam and BJ saw Sam heading for the post, but like BJ earlier in the game he was called back for another alleged forward pass.
The pressure eventually told when after a series of pick and goes going right, with Luke in the vanguard of the action the ball was quickly moved left, where good passing and alignment saw Coach Ryan score his first ‘First Team’ Try wide out. Blayne narrowly missed a difficult kick across the wind but the score had reinforced Wasps position to 12 points to 31 points in their favour and had effectively scotched the Stevenage revival.
The Wasps Forwards who had been dominant at the scrummage throughout began to make significant ground with ball in hand by pick and go, as well as some inter-passing movements. Luke, Dougie, Rory, Juan and Darryl were seen in a most positive light during these encounters. Nick Brown was now starting to win opposition ball at the line-out, which greatly increased Wasps percentage of possession and meant that they were very much in control during the final ten minutes of the match.
It was no surprise when Blayne completed a ‘Hatrick’ of Tries, when after a powerful drive, led by Freddie and Luke, he received the ball very much on the front-foot and with a slightly disorganised defence in front of him, used the four on two situation that he found himself in superbly by using outside runners as decoys and quietly ran in untouched to score himself. His conversion took the final score to Stevenage 12 Wasps 38.
This was as Rory told the team afterwards a ‘Patchy’ performance at best by the Wasps team on the day. Some of their ball movement and running lines were excellent but were all too often interspersed with poor decision making and basic handling errors. At 12 – 26 the game had come back into an almost balanced scenario, this had appeared to push Wasps forward and make them focus and produce their best facets of play during the closing fifteen minutes. Rory felt that this was possibly either because of casualness or even overconfidence, two traits that as he made clear you have to earn the right to posses.
The match was Refereed in a consistent and thoughtful way, by an experienced Official who talked to players from both sides, rather than use his whistle as a first weapon, throughout the game to keep it moving. In general both sides responded well and can only blame themselves for dropped passes and other missed opportunities on their part.
For Wasps Blayne was clearly the main contributor to the win but the man of the match award went to Freddie who on the day was a non-stop bundle of energy with or without the ball, and his contribution for the entire game was massive.
The Backs alignment and positional play was much improved this week and the defensive structures seemed to work well, with excellent levels of communication. The scrummage was a force throughout and pressurised the Stevenage Number Eight into being their stand out player as he continually strived to sort out ball on the back foot, as well as winning a large proportion of their successful line-out ball.
Wasps will move forward to the coming weeks with an idea that some of their efforts are beginning to come to fruition, but need to be fully aware that much more is possible, but this potential will only be achieved with consistent commitment and effort, both on and off the field.