On Saturday Wasps entertained Welwyn in their first home fixture of the season, mindful of the fact that Welwyn had done the double over them last season, in closely contested matches. This match was to follow similar guidelines with both teams committed throughout.

Wasps were pleased to welcome back some absent travellers and started like a team that was still saying ‘Hello’ to one-another. Welwyn were certainly on the front foot for the first minutes and clearly indicated the way they wished to play. Their outstanding Number Eight was to the fore carrying ball into contact and asking defenders whether they were up to the task. Sam and BJ in the Centres made every tackle asked of them, whilst Back-row Ryan and George devoured any other Welwyn players in possession.

This led to a stalemate, with Welwyn using their well-oiled five man lineout to gain possession, and Wasps pressing forward and making tackles near to or on the gain line. Both sides were frustrated at the number of offences noted, but the game was being played in excellent spirits, though generally in the Wasps half of the field.

Wasps appeared to have an initial advantage in the scrums and disrupted two or three attempted back-row moves by solid driving. Juan, and Luke seemed to be very comfortable and Rory was playing like a man who had been training throughout his two weeks in Bali. The game needed a score, and after twenty minutes Aussie Alex tore the ball from a mid-field Welwyn ball carrier and broke free. He ran well into the Welwyn half where he was tackled, the ball was quickly recycled and speedily passed along the back line to Nick, who beat the last two defenders, struggling to realign and get back into position. Blayne’s attempted conversion curled all the way and passed agonisingly over the left hand upright. Wasps 5 Welwyn 0.

Welwyn were forthright in their response and were immediately on the attack, getting some momentum of their own, by driving straight and trying to move the ball back down the blind side. On one occasion, freeing their left winger who looked favourite to score, until Fullback Ryan twisting and turning with the attacker, made an outstanding last ditch tackle.

The majority of the pressure at this stage was on Wasps but breakouts by Luke and George eased the pressure. At this stage Parker was Yellow Carded, more for his commitment than any willfully bad deeds but his sheer enthusiasm at the breakdown and tackle area had been noted on one too many occasions.

Wasps were pleased that the half-back connection between Ben and Blayne was accurate, as it allowed them the relieve pressure by positive use of the boot on a number of occasions. Good chasing and pressurising of these kicks also aided Wasps in their defence of their narrow lead.

However, Welwyn were not to be denied and from a five metre scrum their powerful Number Eight picked up and drove over for a deserved try. Like Blayne’s previous effort the Welwyn conversion curved wickedly in the wind and just shaved the outside of the upright. Wasps 5 Welwyn 5.

From the restart Wasps were on the attack and moving the ball forward with some degree of accuracy and structure for a few phases, on two occasions they created overlaps but slight inaccuracies in the final pass, meant that valid opportunities were missed. From one such foray Welwyn, over-committed a ruck, and were penalised for going over the top. Blayne stepped forward and calmly placed the kick between the posts. Wasps 8 Welwyn 5.

This remained the score for the last few minutes of the half. The game had been played mainly between the halfway line and ten metres from the Wasps goal line. Welwyn had perpetually asked Wasps defenders whether they could tackle by running very direct lines. It was clear that they had found out the answer to this, as the Wasps team, to a man had performed well, against an organised side, who had been in possession of the ball for at least 65% of the half. It had also been quite clear that when in possession Wasps had always made ground and looked like they had valid attacking options.

The second half started with Wasps gaining control of the ball and attacking. Welwyn tried to run the ball out from a defensive lineout, Sam tackled the large ball carrier in mid field, Luke turned over the ball and by reversing the ball and the use of some quick hands, Wasps saw Aussie Alex making large inroads, up the right hand fifteen metre channel, he timed his pass to Rob well who scored in the corner. Blayne’s conversion stalled in the stiff breeze and after just three minutes after the restart Wasps had established a 13 points to 5 lead.

Welwyn returned to the Wasps end of the pitch and had two or three five-metre scrummages, but were repelled by a combination of good pushing and shoving, along with aggressive tackling. Being driven back at the ensuing breakdowns the Welwyn Scrumhalf threw out a speculative pass, that rolled invitingly out into mid-field for the advancing Wasps defenders, but their Centre gathered the bouncing ball turned under severe pressure and struck an excellent drop-kick between the posts. The game again closed to a one situation Wasps 13 Welwyn 8.

Wasps now had their best spell of the match. Starting to win some lineout ball, through an awakening Ticks and playing some of the patterns they aim to, they began to gain control and put Welwyn under increasing pressure. From one such attacking lineout BJ was released up the middle where he made considerable ground, driving through the first tackle and in behind the defence. He was eventually stopped eight metres short. Wasps recycled the ball and Aussie Alex went for broke and attacked the line, he came up a fraction short. The ball was again recycled quickly leaving Blayne with a three on two. He used his outside runners as decoys and crossed to score on the fifteen metre line. He then got back to his feet and struck a super conversion to take Wasps into a 20 points to 8 point lead.

Cam had now joined the fray at Scrumhalf and looked like he had never been away, adding his total commitment as an extra tackler in the Back-row, whilst still carrying out his main duties with accuracy.

Wasps were gaining in confidence, went straight back on the attack and with increased possession were starting to get a higher share of the penalty count. This enabled them to kick the ball into the corner for another attacking lineout. From a catch and drive Wasps were able to suck in the Welwyn back-row defenders, meaning that when the ball was released Blayne had a sniff of a chance, he took it with relish and drove over through a despairing tackle to score on the fifteen metre line, this time on the other side of the pitch. He again regained his feet and struck a n excellent conversion across the breeze between the sticks. Wasps 27 Welwyn 8.

With fifteen minutes to go Wasps looked in a good position, but had not taken into account that they had expended a great deal of effort in defending for large periods of the game. Add to that the fact that a number of players were back for their first outing of the season and may have lacked a degree of fitness.

Welwyn meanwhile showed why they had started the day top of the table. They threw caution to the wind and moved the ball in a freer manner and started to put a few phases together wider out than they had previously managed. From one such attack their right winger was neatly switched back inside and scored an excellent team try halfway out. The conversion with the wind directly supporting it never looked like missing. Welwyn saw a lifeline at Wasps 27 Welwyn 15.

The remaining minutes of the game were quite frenetic. A number of tired players from both sides needed attention from respective Physio’s, Darren on for a Knackered Rory needed treatment for a head cut prior to the last play of the game. Welwyn sensibly kept the ball on the park and attacked with gusto. George managed to steal the ball and kicked ahead, chasing after it in his own inimitable style, Welwyn seemed to have been repelled but from the following ruck they moved the ball well and managed to put their last man standing in the backs, over for their third try. This was well converted gaining Welwyn a deserved bonus point which made the final score Wasps 27 Welwyn 22.

The man of the day award was difficult as so many of the Wasps side had played particularly well. Sam and BJ had tackled their socks off in the Centres, George and Aussie Alex had been all over the park tackling and carrying, whilst the Front Five had worked tirelessly against a big set of forwards.

Blayne had clearly scored most of the points and organised things well, which had led to both wingers, Nick and Rob scoring as well. Ryan at fullback had made what was possibly a game changing tackle at a crucial moment of the game. So it felt to the panel to award the prized pint to Number Eight Ryan, who had been outstanding in all he had done. Tackling, carrying, organising, talking and generally putting his finger in the Dyke whenever required.
This was a sound performance from a side that is perhaps beginning to show that it has potential, but this will only be forthcoming with improvement in some of the basics of the game. Lineouts and the contact area need to be more productive if the ball playing athleticism and desire to play of the team are to be achieved.