Wasps Beat the Champions

After a winless start to their league programme it seemed like the last thing that Wasps U15s needed was a visit to the reigning league champions, a side who up until this season had been undefeated at youth level. The early phases seemed to suggest that the form books were going to be a valid guide as Old Albanians ran in a well worked early try with their elegant looking back line finishing off an overlap with precision.

Old Albanians were clearly a dynamic, mobile team who relished running rugby and it soon became apparent they possessed a lot of pace. However, the early score seemed to serve to galvanise the visitors. The pack was solid in the scrum and very competitive at the break down so Wasps were consistently getting quick ball which gave them space to run at the opposition and demonstrate they had pace aplenty of their own. Becoming increasingly dominant the pressure eventually told with a fine flowing move being finished off for a Joe Jones try. The aggression of the Wasps defence was now leading to numerous handling errors from the previously imperious Old Albanians backs and they were increasingly being pinned back in their own half. Wasps missed a relatively straight-forward penalty chance to put them in the lead but going in at half time they were full of confidence.

The second half saw Wasps still on top and a well timed pass from Eugene Carnell allowed Joe Jones to squeeze into the corner for his second try. Old Albanians were then awarded a penalty 35 yards out when Wasps were harshly penalised for entering a ruck at the side and the home team brilliantly took the points to draw level at 10-10.

Although there was much tension on the side-lines Wasps rarely allowed their opponents to get in scoring range for the final fifteen minutes of the game. Eugene Carnell eventually restored the Wasp's lead after consistent pressure opened up a gap and Wasp's crossed the line a further two times only to see both tries disallowed, once correctly and once controversially.

The fine victory confirmed the transformation of the disjointed bunch of very talented individuals that started the season into a top class team who on this form could challenge for the title. It was a full squad performance in which every player made a contribution but particular mention should perhaps go to new boy Gilbert Wasserman. Since his arrival the team's previous weakness of a tendency to cough up possession in contact seems to have disappeared.