WASPS A vs. NORTHAMPTON WANDERERS

A LEAGUE FINAL – FIRST LEG

MONDAY 21^ST APRIL 2008 – 7.30pm

HENLEY, DRY LEAS

WASPS 34 - 3 WANDERERS

MATCH REPORT

Wandies fly into a swarm of locusts

Sean Edwards stomping along the touchline, wearing his flat cap at a bellicose angle and bellowing at his backs to “stretch out wider…”

Henley Hawks’ homely Green, Black & Gold corner flags fluttering in the stiff breeze…A black-bearded, piratical Charlie Beech, at least a stone heavier than when I last saw him, strutting about the pitch, completely in charge. And another ex-Saints academician, James Buckland, bollocking over for his side’s third try…

These were some of the impressions of a thoroughly disappointing evening at Henley. It’s hard to watch the likes of Toops, Tiny, Foxy and Dave Ward being bullied all over the pitch for the best part of 80 minutes. Wandies coped well enough in the scrum and lineout, but tended to give the ball away with alarming generosity at every re-start (and there were many). Even a sustained period of pressure in Wasps left-hand corner was wasted with a misdirected throw-in at a 5-metre lineout.

There isn’t a great deal more to say, except that Wasps were more streetwise, had more snap about their moves and showed how pick and drive should be played at pace. Wanderers had no opportunity to slow down Wasps’ ball (though Fox tried as you would expect). Their only score came when Wasps’ tallest player was adjudged to have committed a high tackle on a ducking and diving Diggin. Everitt converted the penalty for his side’s only score.

There was one surreal moment (are you reading this, Paul Flatt?), when Tiny broke out of defence on his own line and ran all of 30 yards like a wounded buffalo, before passing to a grateful Wasps back. No sense of romance, these Pests.

Sadly, we won’t be seeing much more of Chris Budgen, Darren Fox or Paul Tupai. I had a long chat with Ian Vass before the game: he would have been playing, but for a knee injury which will probably need keyhole surgery and rehab until his contract ends in June. Whoever plays next week, they will need all our support to make up the deficit.

Some positives: Kydd and Everitt back from injury, but not match fit; Brake playing his second game in 3 days, played well until he was replaced by Ollie Storey – a good-looking prospect. Starling was busy and committed, probably the one back to shine in an otherwise lacklustre display. Digger wrenched his ankle and hobbled off midway through the second half, but was upbeat about the injury; Dave Ward, hair dyed a radiant blond, captained the side well and threw everything he had into the melee; Darryl Veenendaal (no, I hadn’t heard of him either), got a start when he replaced Everitt with 20 minutes to go, and looked the part.

You can read the finer details on the Offy.

What you won’t read there is something that cheered me up before the long journey home. A number of 1^st XV players in mufti came to cheer on the Wandies. The last person I spoke to was Captain Bruza himself, sporting a vast, black curly wig and a broad grin! Ah, well – it’s only a game…

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