After the warm up, that would more suitably be called a cool down, with pelting on both sets of players for twenty minutes before the match, both sides were out on the pitch ready to start, showing a keenness to get warm again, just as the rain subsided. The Referee arrived a few minutes later and the afternoon’s entertainment began.
Rory had decided to play into the brisk breeze and Wasps consequently received the kick-off, which went deep and set them the task of getting out of their own territory against the elements.. They were straight into their game using the ball well, quick hands, mini-rucks and attempting to be lively. With Ticks, Aussie Alex and Freddie driving forward they worked the ball out with some degree of control up to the halfway line, where that old habit of dropping the ball raised its head once again.
Fullerians needed no second offer and were attacking down the touch line with quick hands and positive intent of their own. Wasps, with a scrambling defence, stopped the attack on their try-line. Fullereians had two more bites at scoring from a five metre scrum and a close in line-out, before Wasps appearing to have weathered the storm by a pressing defence and forcing the Fullerians attackers to go backwards, were correctly adjudged to be offside . The kick from just to the left of the posts and just inside the twenty-two was neatly converted and took Fullerians into the lead. Wasps 0 Fullerians 3.
The next ten minutes saw an even game with both sides trying their best to move the damp ball in the wind with varying degrees of success. Some good moves by both sides all came to grief with passes stalling in the wind or falling short of intended receivers. Consequently both sides opted to play a more controlled driving game. Initially these skirmishes occurred very much in mid-field, but with the wind advantage Fullerinas were able to kick for position from any indiscretions by Wasps and thus generally controlled the area of the pitch in which the game was played. Fortunately for Wasps their scrummage had started to have some degree of success and apply pressure to their opponents, thus negating one source of good ball.
Wasps broke out on one occasion and good handling by BJ gave George an opportunity to have a run. He beat two defenders on the outside but was tackled into touch, just as it appeared he was away into open space.
Fullerians kept driving Wasps back into their own half and Wasps kept tackling in their own twenty-two, and tried to drive any ball they had forward through their Forwards.
In the end something had to give and from an attacking line-out Fullerians crashed up through the twelve channel, recycled and started a good series of pick and go and eventually scored near the posts. The conversion took them into a 10 point lead with twenty one minutes on the clock.
Wasps, as is their way responded well and taking a leaf from their opponents began to pick and go more themselves, making sound progress on a number of occasions.
A relieving kick by Fullerians was caught by Nick who ran it back with gusto, before being tackled, a tackle in which he tore a calf muscle and had to leave the field. Wasps took the revolutionary step of moving scrum-half Ben onto the wing to replace Nick and bought Tysen, a back-row forward on at scrum-half. This substitution almost certainly meant that Wasps game was about to change and get much tighter and close quartered in its inception, in an attempt to play the prevailing conditions more effectively.
Good driving and solid ball retention took Wasps well inside the Fullerians twenty-two, an excellent catch and drive drill from a line-out saw the Wasps Forwards push their opponents over the line and allowed Aussie Alex to score his first Try for the club. He later admitted that this fact had softened the blow of the result at Twickenham. Blayne stepped forward and narrowly missed what was a very difficult kick as it was directly into a very strong gusting wind. Wasps were, however, very much back in the game at Wasps 5 Fullerians 10.
The remainder of the half saw both sides continuing to try and play positive rugby in the conditions and from one attack Fullerians were awarded a penalty for a Wasps player making a side-entry into a ruck. The successful conversion of this offence took Fullerians into an eight point lead at Wasps 5 Fullerians 13. This remained the half-time score.
At half time Sam who had produced his usual rock solid performance in the Centre had to be replaced as he was feeling nauseas. This led to Aussie Alex going into the Centres and Parker coming on at Open-side. This now meant that Wasps had ten Forwards on the pitch; seven of who would chose a Back-row start by preference. This and the previous substitution meant that Wasps would almost certainly be going to play one way in the second half. It did, however take them a good ten minutes to work it out.
Fullerians started the second half exactly the same as Wasps had started the first. Moving the ball away from their end of the pitch with confidence and keeping Wasps in or around their own twenty-two for five minutes. On regaining the ball Wasps, through Blayne, kicked the ball back into Fullerians territory and were awarded a penalty for a Fullerians player playing the ball in a ruck. The kick from slightly to the left of the posts was successfully converted by Blayne. Wasps 8 Fullerinas 13.
The next ten minutes saw both sides attack and defend with equal determination, the game in many ways had become a war of attrition, with both sides driving most of their possession close into its source. This clearly suited Wasps with their dearth of Back-rowers on the park.
The next score came after a powerful forward drive initially by Parker and then Freddie which forced a Fullerians player to make a side-entry. The difficult kick from beyond the ten metre line sailed through the posts from Blayne’s boot to take the score to Wasps 11 Fullerians 13.
At this point Wasps were very much the dominant force but once again, for the umpteenth time this season, they opened the door for their opponents. Moving the ball to the left, in their own half a wayward pass went to ground, a Fullerians back kicked it ahead, into a vast open space, as Fraser had joined the three-quarters wide out. The Fullerians player easily won the foot race to the ball and scored a Try out wide on the right. The almost impossible conversion sailed across the front of the posts on the stiff Westerly. At Wasps 11 Fullerians 18 the visitors had again opened up a seven point lead and had something to play for. It was during this phase of the game that Fraser made what was probably a very important tackle.
Wasps reverted to their pick and go driving game, with Luke, Juan, Douggie and Rory to the fore, all playing at different heights from the ground. Ticks was winning good lineout ball and Nick Brown was having an awesome day taking restarts, winning his line-out ball and also carrying and tackling well. Ryan was tidying up all the loose ends and the Wasps pack were taking control. The next ten minutes saw Wasps totally in-charge of the ball, Fullerians were being regularly penalised. Blayne was kicking well for position and Wasps were controlling where the game was being played.
From one such kick to touch Wasps won the line out crashed Freddie down the centre, released Parker off the ensuing ruck, before Tysen picked up and dived over from the base of the next ruck right next to the posts. Blayne converted to take the scores level at 18 – 18.
The restart saw Wasps once again in the Fullerinas half. Blayne, kicking for position and ensuring that Wasps could attempt to apply pressure. Fullerians to their credit tried to run the ball out on a number of occasions, from less than favourable positions, with some degree of success and it was only first up tackles from Ryan, BJ along with a massive hit from Aussie Alex that stooped them making it out.
At this stage Fullerians were a little unfortunate to have a player sin-binned for a high tackle, as a Wasps player had made a similar tackle moments before, that went unpunished. From the resultant penalty, a far from easy kick in the conditions, Blayne sent the ball over the crossbar to take Wasps into the lead for the first time. Wasps 21 Fullerians 18.
From the restart Nick caught the ball and set up a solid platform, the rest of the Forwrads being urged on to pick and go, took the ball fully thirty metres with Luke really to the fore, playing his own inimitable version. Fullerians on the back foot had to transgress and made a belated side-entry. Once again Blayne’s trusty boot kicked the penalty to make the final score Wasps 24 Fullerians 18.
This remained the final score.
Wasps can be pleased with their performance against a strong and well organised Fullerians team, who are themselves having a good season. The conditions and injuries had to some extent governed the manner in which Wasps had played. They do, however, deserve credit for actually being able to change their game plan on the day and play the circumstances that occurred as the game developed.
Although Blayne had once again been the main contributor to the score, the man of the match just had to be a Forward as it had been their grunt and efforts that had secured the win. The panel had a difficult choice but a majority vote gave Luke the traditional ‘pint’ for his all-round efforts. Scrummaging, Driving and Support play along with a number of tackles.
This match was once again an example of how close and competitive many of the matches have been in this League this year, and it looks like it is likely to continue for the rest of the season.