Wasps Champion LBND's Grand Final Act

Leicester took fully fifty minutes to impose themselves, but still trailed in the wake of the Blackened Gold horde as the engraver's implement poised to sign-off the Guinness Premiership winners as Wasps once more.

The scale of London Wasps' achievement this season should not be diminished by those moaning about leagues counting, not one-off finals. Wasps deservedly ran out winners by ten points to be crowned Guinness Premiership champions for the fourth time in six years. We remember well our having plumbed the depths during the darkest hour of discontent in early October, 2007, when nine players were absent, representing their countries at the 2007 RWC finals in France.

This may have been a win forged in the mould of the captain according to the pundits, but it was delivered by the whole club following a long, hard season's toil. From Geech to back room staff, each member quietly got on with the slog. Journalists may have kept buttonholing LBND for quotes and opinion throughout the season, but few expected quite such a turnaround in our fortune!

Geech, perhaps best of all, hit the nail on the head when he said we were fortunate to pick up several bonus points during our 10/11 run-in to end the league one point ahead of form team, Bath (and a mere four points down on table-toppers Gloucester). We took advantage of our good fortune, and Bath along with it, in winning the Guinness Premiership play-off semi final, 21-10. Our defence was supreme.

 So, what of the Grand Final? The first 40 minutes laid the foundations to the win. Through fast, furious, flowing, and fantastically-committed football, Wasps simply starved the life out of a frustrated bunch of Tigers.



Mark Van Gisbergen converted all bar one goal. The pack took the front foot away from its prey, and drove over Tom Rees for an early try, after the first skirmishes had been won. Turnovers and off-loads galore kept the Tigers honest, moving about their ageing pack until Josh Lewsey zipped through a gap left between the two Bens, Kay and Herring.

A 17-point lead at half-time was never going to be surrendered by Wasps. For those with one eye wide shut, the machinations of uncontested scrummaging hindered Wasps, who had had the better of the once much-vaunted ABC club. Tim Payne could not have continued, and Phil Vickery probably could have done without playing after a six-week lay-off.

With twelve minutes to go, with one final penalty won, LBND exited stage left. It was a measured last appearance befitting the occasion. The crowd stood and applauded a tremendous servant to the game in unison, with long-time foe Martin Corry leading the way. Van Gisbergen somehow coolly slotted the goal to ensure the win and Lawrence's tears of pride.

One of our number posted that he decided to support Wasps because of how our team, and Lawrence in particular, played during the 1993 Middlesex Sevens tournament. Much the same sentiment had ushered Lawrence to the club in 1990 when we ended atop the league by adding a slice of luck to footballing élan.

I joined the club because of its open, inviting, down-to-earth nature. These commendable characteristics remains true today, despite the cloying pressures borne of cold, calculating, commercial concerns. Perhaps that is why most neutrals favoured the intoxicating Wasps over the dour Tigers on the day.

Tigers were consistent over the long term, but won nought. Once more unto the breach, Wasps were pugnaciously persistent and irreverently irresistible,  pursuing the Guinness Premiership crown to the death -- and providing a fitting end to Lawrence's playing career.

Spare a thought, too, for Alastair Hignell, whose dulcet radio tones will be sorely missed, and young Fraser Waters, the linchpin of our defensive "Press Gang". Ciao, indeed.

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