...We've never lost a final when I've worn that shirt - in fact we've never lost a final since Sarries mauled a weakened team over nine years ago.

But yesterday I turned up in hope rather than expectation. I'd watched Leicester take Glaws apart last weekend, and while I never, for a moment, thought Lol & co. would lie down in the way the Cherry and Whites did, I thought we'd be really up against it.

Now since that sad Sarries Saturday, I,like many on this board have watched a great team grow. We've had dull finals like the Newcastle and Llanelli encounters. The turgid attrition of the Bath premiership game (just a week after the triumph of the 2003 HC). We've had open and attacking finals such as the Northampton Powergen cup final and Bath in the Challenge Cup - and we've had tactical routs - I think of Glaws and Tiggs in the first and third Premiership finals.

Up until yesterday, only Toulouse have really run us close in a major final in this century. But I was still worried.

Everyone was saying we couldn't match Leicester's front five. The rumours were flying that we'd be playing a rookie prop and the odds were on the Wasps unit being marched backwards across Twickenham's turf.

And then there was the loose play. Wasn't Shane Jennings in the form of his life; wasn't Moody back on top form and wasn't Lol just too old: too old to even compete with Corry?

Wasps are useless at the lineout too - a great opportunity for Goode to use that laser boot and pin the Black & Gold back, and then for Kay and Deacon to steal ball and rumble over the line.

Of course we had Alex at fly half - but he was about to collect his pension and hadn't played since the snows were falling.

Tigers had Gibson restored in the centre and he, together with the sheer class that was Hipkiss would rule midfield and release the potency of Leicester's south sea wingers and the guile of Geordan Murphy at will.

Leicester were on a roll: Leicester were fired up: Wasps were rusty, lacked depth and had too many old legs in crucial slots on the team sheet.

What utter rubbish. Punditry's fantastic when it works out, but it didn't count on the Brains Trust of Geech, Shaun, Craig and the wise heads on the field.

For the past five years I've been coaching kids to defend by getting up in the opposition's faces. To deny them space; to ensure they run sideways not forward; to get those first tackles in first and harry the opposition into mistakes. I'll never have to say another word on the subject. I'll just pop on the DVD and get the kids to watch the finest example of defensive play I've ever witnessed.

Tactically, Wasps were beyond the top of their game. Leicester had the bulk of possession and a return of three penalties. Geech and Shaun identified a weakness in Tigers' linout play - they're a tad slow and leave the blind side undefended.....they also don't learn from their mistakes.

There's a huge chunk of any big final that's played in the mind. Wasps won the mindgame from 1-22 and from the first minute to the last. They also knew how to play the referee - a more disciplined approach than earlier matches where Mr. lewis has been in charge. Finally they fronted up, faced up and out fought their opposite numbers in every aspect of the game.

All those other finals have been great. But this one was at another level. This was really special. This was the most complete Wasps performance I've ever seen.

Smiling on the Inside ! (copyright: Nigel Meddemmen, 20.5.2007)

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