 | Wasps: (29) 32
Tries: Hart, Sackey, Shaw, Lewsey
Cons: King (2), Payne
Pens: King, van Gisbergen
Gloucester: (13) 25
Tries: Mercier, Penalty, Bailey
Cons: Mercier (2)
Pens: Mercier (2) |
Wasps consolidated their position in second place with a comfortable victory over Gloucester at a packed Causeway. John Hart put them on their way with a seventh minute try and Paul Sackey also crossed the line four minutes later.
Further tries from Simon Shaw and Josh Lewsey gave the home side a 16-point advantage at the interval.
When James Bailey crossed after 73 minutes the gap was down to seven points, but Ludovic Mercier missed the conversion and Wasps held firm.
Gloucester's afternoon started badly when former Wasps scrum-half Peter Richards was sin-binned after five minutes, and during his absence Hart burrowed over from close range for the first score.
Wasps lost Alex King 24 minutes before the end with a wrist injury and had to withstand some late pressure.
Fifth-placed Gloucester joined Worcester on 26 points after picking up a bonus point for a defeat by seven or less.
Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan:
"We're disappointed with the 10 minutes after half time, because we stopped playing rugby for a while.
"It's disappointing because we wanted to nail some early second-half points.
"Overall I'm pleased, we're trying to play a direct game and keep some momentum and it's making a difference to the way we're playing."
Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan:
"I'm very proud of the side who pushed Wasps to the extreme when they are full of confidence.
"It was a great game between two good sides. We showed heart and emotion against an impressive Wasps and I thought in large parts of the second half we were pretty impressive.
"We might have missed one or two opportunities but that comes from being a developing side."
Wasps: Van Gisbergen; Sackey, Lewsey, Abbott, Voyce; King, Reddan; McKenzie, Ibanez, Payne; Shaw, Skivington; Hart, O'Connor, Dallaglio.
Replacements: Ward, Dawson, Worsley, Lock, Dawson, Hoadley, Erinle.
Gloucester: Morgan; Foster, Simpson-Daniel, Tindall, Bailey; Mercier, Richards; Collazo, M Davies, Vickery; Pendlebury, Brown; Balding, Hazell, Forrest.
Replacements: Elloway, Powell, Eustace, Boer, Thomas, Fanolua, B Davies.
MMIX
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