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Bath Humiliated By Seven Try Wasps
By Glen Leat
November 12 2006
Bath were humiliated by a rampant London Wasps as they conceded seven tries at Adams' Park to lose 47-18. Despite starting the game in a positive frame, three quick-fire tries from Wasps in the first half appeared to destroy Bath's confidence and it was down-hill from thereon. 

Bath started very positively with plenty of ball in hand securing two early penalties to gain territory and Michael Stephenson had a pot at goal after a couple of minutes but his drop-kick was just wide. To emphasise Bath's early control of the game it took Wasps some five minutes to gain any sort of possession. However it was Wasps who scored first, with a Walters try under the posts against the run of play after 13 minutes. Mark Van Gisbergen's conversion took the score to 7-0 despite the game having been mostly played in the Wasps half.

Picture courtesy Empics

Chris Malone had a chance to open Bath's account after 15 minutes but his penalty drifted wide. Unfortunately for the visitors, Wasps scored their second try from the restart after Malone's miss, through Edd Thrower, taking the score to 12-0. Two chances and two scores from the home side, that's clinical finishing!

Wasps then started to pick up the pace and it looked as though Tom Voyce had scored their third try on 20 minutes but, fortunately for Bath,  Fraser Walters was adjudged to have passed the ball forward. Voyce was again denied a few minutes later when he claimed he was obstructed by Andy Williams as he was odds on to score but Edd Thrower made things right for Wasps by scoring his second try just 20 seconds later: 17-0 after 25 minutes, ouch! 

Finally Bath registered some points with a penalty by Malone after 28 minutes. Mark Van Gisbergen returned the 17 point lead after 33 minutes with a penalty which made the halftime score 20-3.

Bath started the second half as they did the first but this time they secured a score through Malone's boot to make the score 20-6. However rather than Bath building on this early score, it was Wasps' Edd Thrower who crossed the whitewash for his team's bonus point securing fourth try.

Picture courtesy Empics

Referee Rose was replaced by Ashley Rowden after 50 minutes to at least give the game a bit of interest from visiting fans' perspective. However Ash immediately awarded a penalty to Wasps to banish from Bath minds that a change of official may change their fortunes. Dave Walder stretched the Wasps' lead with a penalty after Cheeseman was adjudged to have obstructed, rather than tackled, his opponent.

Bath came close to their opening try after 62 minutes when David Bory crashed over the corner flag before tapping the ball in the goal area. However James Scaysbrook scored a few minutes later to open their try account. As if to highlight Bath's poor form, Chris Malone missed the conversion in front of the posts: 28 - 11.

With less than 15 minutes to go Chev Walker made his Bath debut by replacing Tom Cheeseman after only playing one full game of rugby and he dropped the first ball he received and wildly passed his second. I'm not sure he touched the ball again.

Mark Van Gisbergen scored a fifth try for Wasps and Walder converted to make the score 35-11. Danny Cipriani added a sixth after intercepting a Chris Malone pass.

Michael Stephenson scored a very late consolation try for bath but Edd Thrower responded with a 7th for Wasps to complete the rout.

Wasps

47 - 18
(20 - 3)

Bath
Tries:
Waters, Thrower 4, van Gisbergen, Cipriani
  Tries:
Scaysbrook, Stephenson
Pens:
van Gisbergen, Walder
  Pens:
Malone 2
 
Cons:
van Gisbergen, Walder 2
  Cons:
Malone

 

London Wasps: 15. Mark Van Gisbergen   14. Edd Thrower   13. Ayoola Erinle   12. Fraser Waters   11. Tom Voyce   10. Alex King   9. Simon Amor   1. Tim Payne   2. Joe Ward   3. Peter Bracken   4. Simon Shaw   5. Richard Birkett   6. James Haskell   7. Jonny O'Connor   8. Joe Worsley  
Replacements: 16. Jonny Barrett   17. Nick Adams   18. George Skivington   19. Lawrence Dallaglio   20. Eoin Reddan   21. Dave Walder   22. Danny Cipriani 

 

Bath Rugby: 15. Nick Abendanon   14. Michael Stephenson   13. Tom Cheeseman   12. Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu   11. David Bory   10. Chris Malone   9. Andy Williams   1. David Barnes   2. Rob Hawkins   3. David Flatman   4. Peter Short   5. Hottie Louw   6. Andy Beattie   7. James Scaysbrook   8. Zak Feau'nati  
Replacements: 16. Dave Ward   17. Laurence Ovens   18. Chris Goodman   19. Jonny Fa'amatuainu   20. Nick Walshe   21. Chev Walker   22. Joe Maddock  

Referee: David Rose/Ashley Rowden

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