Wasps take sting out of Tigers fightback
WASPS boss Tony Hanks heaped praise on his forwards after they overcame scrummaging problems to beat Leicester for a fifth successive time.
First-half tries from Paul Sackey and Steve Kefu earned the home side a win that pushed them to within a point of the Tigers in the Premiership play-off chase.
And it might have been worse for the visitors, had Jordan Crane not managed a last-minute try that earned them a bonus point.
It was an outcome that had looked unlikely early on, when Wasps were repeatedly penalised for collapsing scrums, and Hanks said: “We had a few very tricky scrum problems first half, but the boys learned on the run, and it was definitely better in the second half. We went out there to play some rugby, and we tried to attack with width. It was great to see Paul Sackey doing what he does best, and I am very pleased with the intent. With 79 minutes gone it was 2-0 on tries.
“Simon Shaw was immense, not least the way he commanded the restarts. He was one of a number of guys who stepped up because, had we lost this one, we would have slipped back to mid-table.” Instead Wasps now lie fifth and are further boosted by the return to fitness of fly-half Danny Cipriani.
The young England outcast was named in the squad for the first time since breaking his leg in October, but was not brought off the bench as Wasps led 18-12 at the interval, Leicester’s points coming from the boot of Toby Flood.
Dave Walder kicked two penalties to extend Wasps’ advantage, before Crane went over in the dying stages and Aaron Mauger converted.