Wasps bounce back from opening Challenge Cup defeat
Wasps' Ashley Johnson and Ulster's Tommy Bowe during the European Champions Cup pool one match at Kingspan, Belfast.
Wasps got their European Challenge Cup campaign up and running with a dominant 32-14 win over French side Agen at the Ricoh Arena.
The home side, beaten away in their Pool 3 opener to Bordeaux-Begles last weekend, had trailed to a converted try from Loris Tolot.
Ashley Johnson, though, went over from a maul before Jacob Umaga’s kicking extended the lead to 13-7 at the break.
Further tries from Tommy Taylor and Johnson put Wasps in command, with Malakai Fekitoa crossing to secure the bonus-point. Fernandez Correa added a late consolation for the hosts.
London Irish ran in seven tries to beat Bayonne 45-31 in their Pool 2 match at the Madejski Stadium.
The Exiles, beaten 20-16 against Scarlets last time out, scored five tries in the first half – during which the French club also crossed four times to go into the break at 31-24.
🎥 “I think that is the first man-of-the-match I have ever got, but the real credit has to go to the forwards.” @jacob_umaga98 gives his reaction after a man-of-the-match performance in the 32-14 win against Agen… pic.twitter.com/gzl7yIjxhU
— Wasps Rugby (@WaspsRugby) November 23, 2019
Converted tries for Saia Fainga’a and Ben Meehan gave the hosts some breathing space. A late score for former Harlequins number eight Mat Luamanu, his second of the match, secured Bayonne a bonus-point.
Stand-off Paddy Jackson completed five conversions, including one from his own try after 25 minutes, to finish with a personal haul of 14 points.
Saturday’s early kick-off in Pool 1 saw Worcester Warriors beaten 17-9 away at Castres.
Duncan Weir kicked three penalties for the visitors, but first-half tries for winger Filipo Nakosi and flanker Baptiste Delaporte proved enough for the French side.
Elsewhere, in Pool 4, Stade Francais picked up a much-needed 13-12 win at Zebre.
The Paris club – bottom of the Top 14 and having seen coach Heyneke Meyer depart – scored a converted try from Gael Fickou, with Nicolas Sanchez adding two penalties.
The Italians, though, made a late fight back with a penalty try setting up a tense finale.
In the final match, a severely weakened Leicester Tigers team stunned Cardiff Blues following a 14-11 triumph in the Welsh capital.
The encounter was tied going into the latter exchanges when the visitors won a penalty and Tom Hardwick kicked his third penalty of the contest to win the game.