Bath lost 34-42 to London Wasps in a scintillating encounter at the Recreation Ground earlier today.
Cipriani (white shirt) scored the first of Wasps’s five tries
Bath (20) 34
Try: Higgins, Abendanon, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Brown
Pens: Barkley (2)
Cons: Barkley (4)
Wasps (13) 42
Try: Cipriani, Haskell, Lewsey (2), Leo
Pens: Cipriani (3)
Cons: Cipriani (4)
Bath’s 100% home record was shot to pieces by a superb second-half display by Wasps, who ran in five tries.
Andrew Higgins and Danny Cipriani traded tries in a lively opening period but the only other try of the half was right at the end, from Nick Abendanon.
Wasps struck back after the break, with tries by James Haskell and Josh Lewsey (2) turning the match on its head.
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu gave Bath hope before Daniel Leo’s try sealed it, but Daniel Brown earned Bath a bonus point.
Higgins notched the opening try for Bath in bizarre fashion, bursting through from deep inside his own half, only to seemingly run out of steam within yards of the Wasps line.
But his stray off-load was knocked back to him by a Wasps hand, allowing him to canter in and score.
But Cipriani soon restored parity, getting on the end of his own chip forward and leaving Abendanon flailing at fresh air as he ran in to touch down.
Kickers Cipriani and Olly Barkley continued to match one another point for point but the Wasps player wasted a great chance to put his side ahead just before the break when he put a relatively straight-forward kick wide.
And Bath made Wasps pay, Barkley’s long kick caused confusion between Lewsey and Mark van Gisbergen, causing him to knock on.
From the resulting scrum, Abendanon made amends for his missed tackle in the build-up to Wasps’ try as he slipped through several challenges to slap the ball down for a try.
Two tries in the first nine minutes after the restart put Wasps ahead, the first coming when Haskell went over after a fine forward move, and the second being finished off in the corner by Lewsey.
This set the home side reeling, and sensing that their opponents were stunned, Wasps tried the same approach again, with Lewsey bagging his second of the day.
Fuimaono-Sapolu’s try gave Bath hope, only for Leo’s pushover to settle any Wasps nerves.
Replacement Brown scored for the home side to earn a bonus point and round off a remarkable afternoon at the Rec, but Wasps took all the glory.
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Bath head coach Steve Meehan:
“It was almost inconceivable. Defence has been one of our strengths over the last 12 months.
“Our indiscipline gave them their chances in the first half so we had to make sure that it didn’t happen again.
“But in the first 20 minutes of the second half we just didn’t get our organisation right. I’m not sure why.”
Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan:
“The 20 minutes after half-time was as well as we’ve played this season.
“We’ve had catching up to do after the World Cup. We’ve got to play that well every week.”
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Bath: Abendanon, Maddock, Crockett, Barkley, Higgins, Berne, Claassens, Barnes, Mears, Stevens, Short, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman, Feau’nati. Replacements: Dixon, Jarvis, Browne, Faamatuainu, Baxter, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Banahan
Wasps: Lewsey, Hoadley, Waters, Waldouck, Doherty, Cipriani, McMillan, Payne, Ward, Vickery, Shaw, Palmer, Haskell, Worsley, Hart. Replacements: Buckland, Adams, Leo, Webber, Reddan, Walder, van Gisbergen.
Referee: Rob Debney (Leicestershire)
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Was an incredible game.
Anybody who says rugby is boring and staid with the old rules just needed to watch this game.
A cracker. And sheesh Lewsey was amazing on attack.
Any news on when Butch will be back in action?
Still a few weeks by all acocunts.
Bath missed him today. And they missed him when they fell apart after he injured himself against Sarrie last month.
Peter Dixon, Butch, Matt Stevens, Nick abendanon and Michael Claassens play for Bath – reckon they can chat Afrikaans in the team talk!
Nick abendanon
Showing my ignorance. 😯 didn’t know he was a saffa. Where’s he from?
Yeah he’s a Cape Town boy. Went to one of the English southern suburbs schools – bishops or rondebosch or somewhere and left when he was 18 or 19.
Think he played WP schools or SA schools.
Didn’t know that.
Cool thanks.
okay bed time for me.
Cheers.
BTW, I hope you guys don’t do any better next week 😉
Yeah he’s a Cape Town boy. Went to one of the English southern suburbs schools – bishops or rondebosch or somewhere and left when he was 18 or 19.
Think he played WP schools or SA schools.
16.02.08 23:54:38 – VinChainSaw
No, he’s not. Just like Andrew Strauss he was born in Joburg, spent a few years there before moving to teh UK with the folks as a youngster. Unfortunately Abendanon played age group level – u18 etc for England, went to school at Cheltenham Collge so theoretically is a Gloucserter boy (Bath’s clsoe rivals).
I think my keyboard is dyslexic.
Vinnie
Fraser Waters (the Wasps centre) on the otherhand is a Bishops-educated Saffa who played WP u21 & then went over to the UK. Think he’s been capped by England once or twice in the past.
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
So vinnie trying to claim another Stormer by hook or by crook here 🙄
‘ol Butch was actually co-presenting on Sky Sports yesterday morning, for the ‘Tahs-Canes game. Wasn’t too bad, just said ja a lot. Didn’t appear to be in any discomfort – so looks like the shoulder is on the mend. Whether he can take any contact yet though…
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/10_03/nickabendanon_468x582.jpg
Specially for Cab….
How long ago has anything out of Cape Town been worth writing about
LoL
17.02.08 17:06:30 – Hmmm
Wise words Hmmmy…couln’t be truer!