Wasps had feared a banana skin, instead they were treated to all the low-hanging fruit they could feast on. Better teams will be unable to cope with Wasps’ ability to slice and dice – one score from Christian Wade a dazzling delight – but this was every part the thrashing the scoreline suggests. Exhibition stuff, an education for Bristol.
Ten tries in total, two each for Wade, Ashley Johnson and Elliot Daly, and the first demonstration of exactly what this fleet of flair is capable of with front-foot ball and the weather set fair. It was their biggest score at the Ricoh Arena – the move up the M40 was made with precisely days like this in mind.
It was also painful viewing for Bristol: plenty of industry, their fair share of possession and territory, in the first half at least, but the bluntest of instruments against razor sharp opponents.
“We know we’re going to get days like this. I said to the squad that we’ll stick together, keep working hard and we will be able to turn it around,” said Bristol’s director of rugby, Andy Robinson, whose side remain winless at the foot of the table. “This is the gulf between us and a top three side – it’s 50 points. Over the next six months we need to make those improvements. I’ve got confidence the players can make those improvements.”
For Wasps on the other hand, it is three wins from three and all appears rosy. “I would have settled with that scoreline, we played a lot of good stuff but to be honest it was a little bit messy on occasions,” said Wasps’ director of rugby, Dai Young. “It’s a test of our mental toughness when you go into a game and are expected to win so I’m pleased but we haven’t had an 80-minute performance yet.”
The loudest cheer of the afternoon was to greet Danny Cipriani’s first try back in Wasps colours, scored when he was at full-back for the last half an hour with Jimmy Gopperth at fly-half to accommodate Kyle Eastmond’s debut at inside-centre.
All be told, Cipriani was again a mixed bag. Understandable, perhaps, that he is forcing things a little, still getting used to having that bit more time on the ball, more options around him. But for those moments of frustration there remain touches of genius. Young will soon have a decision to make with Gopperth continuing to impress as a makeshift No12. “The issue we have is that we’ve only got two No10s,” added Young. “It’s a bit of a risk for the both of them to be playing every game. When it comes to Europe we’re going to have to give one of them a rest and let the other take control. It’s very hard to decide between them but I don’t have to at the moment.”
Five minutes before half-time you could not help but feel for Bristol. Off went Guy Thompson, barnstorming for half an hour, and on came Nathan Hughes. Wasps had already wrapped up the bonus point with their fourth try from Matt Symons by then and Wade added number five before the break. Their first try was ominous, both for the ease with which Tommy Taylor was shoved over and because there was just over a minute on the clock. The procession did not materialise straight away but Bristol could do worryingly little with their possession other than notch a Tusi Pisi penalty. Daly scored Wasps’ second on 22 minutes when Cipriani’s diagonal kick struck the corner flag and stayed in, before Jake Cooper-Woolley and Symons plunged over from close range. Wade registered his first after a scything break from deep by Daly for a 37-3 lead at the break.
If complacency set in for Wasps, and Frank Halai’s woeful kick up the middle that led to Jack Lam’s pushover try for Bristol suggested it had, Wade’s mesmeric footwork – making a fool of Jordan Williams – stamped it out pretty quickly. Ashley Johnson’s first score was a well-worked driving maul before Cipriani exchanged passes with Halai, pinned back his ears, dashed down the right and splashed over.
Mitch Eadie then scored from close range for Bristol, Johnson added his second and Gaston Cortes grabbed a third for the visitors whose valiant pursuit of a bonus point ended in vain – Daly having the final say with try No10 for the hosts.
Wasps Miller (Eastmond, 49); Wade (Bassett, 56), Daly, Gopperth, Halai; Cipriani, Simpson (Hampson, 56); McIntyre (Mullan, 50), Taylor (Johnson, 41), Cooper-Woolley (Swainston, 56), Symons (Myall, 49), Gaskell (capt), Rieder, Young, Thompson (Hughes, 36).
Tries Taylor, Daly 2, Cooper-Woolley, Symons, Wade 2, Johnson 2, Cipriani Cons Gopperth 7 Pens Gopperth 2
Bristol Williams; Edwards, Hurrell (Mosses, 66), Palamo, Varndell; Pisi (Jarvis, 69), Cliff (Roberts, 49); Bevington (Tonga’uiha, 28), McMillan (Brooker, 49), Perenise (Cortes, 69), Evans (Phillips, 49), Joyce, Lam (capt; Crane, 59), Robinson, Eadie.
Tries Lam, Eadie, Cortes Cons Eadie, Jarvis Pen Pisi
Attendance 12,280. Referee Tim Wigglesworth (RFU)
