Seven months on the sidelines, then a try after just seven minutes – Kurtley Beale certainly knows how to make an entrance. He was also named man of the match despite a yellow card and will not forget his Wasps debut in a hurry after an absorbing bonus-point victory against a Connacht side who may wonder how they ended up empty-handed.
Wasps were lacking that little bit of zip but considering the list of absentees it was a powerful demonstration of the firepower at their disposal. Beale relished the occasion – the Premiership’s best paid player is clearly going to be box office – while Nathan Hughes seems to have grown in stature after playing his part in England’s autumn success, but Joe Launchbury’s contributions were most telling.
Launchbury is a softly spoken captain, leading by deed rather than word, but the animated celebration for his second-half try – Wasps’ third and the killer blow to Connacht – was telling. A two-week ban that denied him the chance to cement his place in England’s second row clearly hurt and as responses go it was mightily impressive, as he thundered into rucks throughout and produced two crucial turnovers when Connacht were on top in the third quarter.
“It is always frustrating to miss out on rugby through injury or suspension,” Launchbury said. “It was the first time for me so it was new territory but I’ve really enjoyed coming back into the club, having not been here for a few weeks, and coming back into a massive game like this makes it a lot easier.”
Beale’s performance was, in truth, a little rusty. He gave away an early penalty as Connacht – perhaps inspired by the performances of the three other Irish provinces over the weekend – started the brighter. A typically bullocking run from Hughes got Wasps a foothold, however, and Beale powered through some powder-puff defending to score on the left after Christian Wade had gone close on the right.
Back Connacht came – the fly-half Jack Carty keeping the home side pinned in their 22 with some shrewd kicks to the corners. He missed his first shot at goal but atoned on 17 minutes after Beale was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Niyi Adeolokun, who seemed to slip just before contact.
“You couldn’t have written the script any better really, the first touch he scores, the second he gets a yellow card,” said the Wasps director of rugby, Dai Young, whose side now top Pool 2. “I thought he showed some really good touches out there, he was physical as well. He carried as well. It has been hugely difficult for him, to arrive somewhere injured is really tough and it’s a testament to his character that he’s come through that.”
Jimmy Gopperth drilled the hosts back into a seven-point lead after Connacht were caught offside on 23 minutes but the visitors came again and scored their first try when John Muldoon picked up from the back of a scrum, slipped Dan Robson’s tackle and fed Kieran Marmion for a simple finish. Carty added the conversion before Gopperth kicked Wasps into a three-point lead at half-time that they scarcely deserved.
For all the fireworks Wasps are capable of, one of their most potent weapons is Ashley Johnson at the back of a driving maul and while he did not quite make it to the try-line four minutes into the second half, Hughes was on hand to power over. Gopperth converted but Connacht were back to within three after Rory Parata’s intercept try.
Parata was on as a replacement for the injured Stacey Ili and Connacht also lost Tiernan O’Halloran and Cian Kelleher to injury while Bundee Aki soldiered on in clear discomfort but any Bristol supporters looking for encouraging signs for next season, when Pat Lam takes the reins, were not disappointed. The Pro12 champions showed a commendable commitment to running from deep and, but for Launchbury’s excellence, might have built a sizeable lead.
“There was a period of time, for 48 minutes to 60 minutes, when we had enough opportunities to put some pressure on, get ahead and come home strong,” said Lam, whose side host Wasps on Saturday. “But we couldn’t make the most of it and we let them off the hook. We’re all pretty disappointed because there were enough opportunities to win the game.”
As it was, Launchbury thundered in after Beale’s decoy run had created the space on 63 minutes before the Australian freed Josh Bassett down the left for the score his performance on the left wing deserved – and departed shortly before the end to cheers ringing in his ears.
“It has been a long time coming. It’s a very special moment to get out there for my new club and contributing the way I did, I had a taste of everything,” said Beale. “There were some really dark days [with the injury] so I’m just really satisfied that I came out today and did my job.”
Wasps Miller; Wade, Leiua (Macken, 49), Beale (Halai, 74), Bassett; Gopperth, Robson (Simpson, 61); Mullan (Bristow, 74), Taylor, Moore (Cooper-Woolley, 54), Launchbury (capt), Myall (Gaskell, 67), Johnson (Rieder, 74), Young (Thompson, 67), Hughes.
Tries Beale, Hughes, Launchbury, Bassett. Cons Gopperth 3. Pens Gopperth 2. Sin-bin Beale 17.
Connacht O’Halloran (Healy, 45); Adeolokun, Ili (Parata, 37), Aki, Kelleher (Blade, 51); Carty, Marmion; Buckley (Cooney, 74)), McCartney (Heffernan, 67), Carey (Bealham, 45), Dillane, Roux (O’Brien, 61), Fox-Matamua, Heenan (McKeon, 45), Muldoon (capt).
Tries Marmion, Parata. Cons Carty 2. Pens Carty.
Referee Alexandre Ruiz (Fr). Attendance 13,364.
