Wasps took on League leaders Harrow in their second home fixture of the season, in bright clear sunny conditions, on a pitch in perfect order. Wasps kicked off and were the first side on the offensive. This in-turn was followed by Harrow making their positive intentions clear, so the portents of a good game were laid out clear for all to see from the start.
After six minutes Wasps first definite sortie over the gain line saw Sam drive through the 12-13 channel; recycled ball was moved swiftly to the wing where Wasps, as last week, dropped a pass just short of the line in the corner, the Harrow winger kicked the loose ball ahead and a foot-race between him and two Wasps defenders went the length of the pitch. This resulted in Wasps regaining the ball just short of their own try line, the resulting pile-up saw Harrow awarded a five metre attacking scrummage. From this they picked up went blind and from the resulting ruck drove over to score a Try in the corner. The conversion was wide, and a promising start for Wasps had returned a 0 points to 5 points deficit.
Wasps restarted by kicking directly into touch which gave Harrow the opportunity to take a scrummage in the middle of the park, which in-turn gave them their first chance to release their athletic Number 8 off the base of a very stable scrum. He made several yards and got in behind the Wasps defence and it was all hands to the pumps to rescue the situation. Dossy and Ryan along with Aussie Alex were to the fore and turned the ball over, Harrow were penalised and Wasps cleared to touch, just inside the Harrow half. From the line-out Wasps attacked mid-field where from the initial set-up ruck, Dossy made further quick inroads in behind Harrow's mid-field backs and the ball was then quickly reversed to Nick, who squeezed outside the defence to run in an excellent Try in the left hand corner. Blayne failed with the difficult conversion which left the score at Wasps 5 Harrow 5, which was probably a fair refection of the game to this point.
For the next fifteen minutes both sides tried in their respective ways to play positively. Wasps attempting to move the ball through the hands and hit wide channels, trying to take the larger Harrow Front-five across the park, whilst Harrow used their powerful Front five to release their dynamic Back-row from scrums and to disrupt as much Wasps ball as they could.
Wasps Front-five deserve credit, for securing all their own scrummage ball, even if on occasions under some pressure. This meant that Harrow were regularly using their Back-row from a very solid scrummage base and getting on the front-foot, Wasps were defending in numbers at the breakdown and getting a number of decisions, through their commitment and tenacity, but Harrow were beginning to set out their desired pattern of play. Wasps, however, were never offered the luxury of front foot scrummage ball, to be able to use their own back-row as an attacking force from this situation and were playing a fairly expansive game when in possession. Cam at Scrum-half was having a fine game clearing ball away from breakdowns with an accurate pass, thus allowing the Wasps backs to make life interesting for their opponents.
From one Wasps attack the Wasps Forwards were able to produce a few pick and goes, initiated by Rory, whose lively close to the ground game was in evidence, that allowed them to drive well into the Harrow twenty-two. This drive led to a high tackle and a straight-forward penalty for Wasps which Blayne placed right through the middle. Wasps 8 Harrow 5.
Harrow immediately tightened their game up and used their Forwards in a more direct manner, sucking in Wasps defenders, but now looking after the ball better, starting to get the majority of the fifty/fifty decisions because of their commitment to the basics in contact situation, an area that up until this point had been clearly in Wasps favour.
Both sides were helped by an Official who was loud, clear and informative with his early decision making and desire to try and play advantage wherever possible. This level of communication meant that in-general the players were getting on with playing, which is what they are there for, rather than trying to get their ten-pennyworth in.
As half-time approached Harrow were again on the attack and from another powerful drive from their Number Eight they were able to release the ball and use two quick passes that saw them score a well constructed team Try. The difficult conversion was narrowly missed but Harrow had taken a two point lead at Wasps 8 Harrow 10. This remained the half-time score.
Wasps made a below par start to the second half knocking the ball back loosely from the kick-off. Picking the loose ball up Harrow drove forward and were held up just short of the Wasps line. They were awarded another Five-metre scrummage, which was repelled by Wasps, who drove Harrow back through aggressive defence, Harrow were going backwards but had the advantage of a previous penalty for off-side, there Fly-half aware of the situation took a ‘shot to nothing’ and caressed over a well struck drop-goal. Wasps 8 Harrow 13.
Harrow had a very good ten minutes at this stage and pushed Wasps defensive effort to the limit, but Ticks, Parker, Juan and the Back-row made all the tackles required in the close quarter areas. Whilst Sam, BJ and Blayne were holding firm through the middle. Harrow were awarded a penalty for Wasps collapsing a maul which looked ca formality but was miss-kicked and passed harmlessly wide of the posts, thus keeping Wasps within one score.
Wasps regained possession from the restart and began to exert some pressure of their own, taking the ball well inside the Harrow half with some quick incisive plays. From one such attack they were awarded a penalty for hands in a ruck, Cam tapped and went quickly, the Wasps Forwards were awake and supported his initial charge and after two or three mini-rucks, Dossy dived over in the corner. The touchline conversion was missed but like the first half the sides were level again at 13 point each.
Wasps themselves were now having a really good spell and were on the front foot and managed to put together a series of plays that kept Harrow inside their own half and slightly on the defensive.
After one attack close to the Harrow line their Number Eight gathered a loose ball dropped by a Wasps attacker and set off with great purpose, making thirty yards on his own and getting behind the Wasps defence. He was tackled but Harrow were on the move, the ball was passed through a number of pairs of hands, recycled quickly on two occasions, showing some good off-loading skills they scored an excellent length of the pitch Try in the left-hand corner. The fifth wide out Try of the game received the same conversion result as the previous four and Harrow were back in the lead 13 – 18.
Wasps were immediately back on the attack as the game continued to be played in a positive and committed manner by both teams. Harrow were the next team to offend in their defensive efforts and Wasps were awarded a penalty for a high tackle. Blayne stepped forward and calmly kicked the goal to take Wasps back to within two points at wasps 16 Harrow 18 with fifteen minutes to go there was all to play for, with both sides looking for the win.
Harrow were back on the attack inside the Wasps half when their outstanding Number Eight was Yellow Carded for disagreeing with a decision, Wasps hoped that this would be the moment for them to make use of their numerical advantage, but it was not to be. Harrow were well organised and kept the ball away from Wasps for the majority of the following ten minutes and the game was by and large played in the middle areas of the pitch.
Neither side gave up playing and both sides were still trying to be positive, Wasps trying to score and thus win and Harrow trying to score a fourth Try and thus gain a bonus point, so the small, noisy and exited crowd were entertained until the end.
With two minutes to go Wasps agin attacked by moving the ball wide from a line-out ball well won by Nick, this was followed by a wrap around move that enabled Blayne to release Winger Nick clear outside his opposite number, he raced towards the corner, but was tackled into touch two yards short of the line by the returned Harrow Number Eight. This was a match saving tackle made by the standout Harrow player, in a team that played with the confidence of a winning unit. Harrow won the ensuing line-out and closed the game out.
Wasps were in the end not far away from winning the game but with Harrow scoring three tries to their two the result was probably right.
Wasps can take a lot from this game, many of the things they have been working on seemed to be falling into place in their game structure and management and they should be confident that they have the potential to give anyone in the League a fair contest.
For Wasps there were several outstanding performances both defensively and with ball in-hand but your correspondent could not decide between Dossy and Aussie Alex. The panel sat and decided to buy them both a beer.