Wasps (18) 24
Tries: Sackey, Kefu Con: Walder Pens: Walder 4
Leicester (12) 22
Try: Crane Con: Mauger Pens: Flood 5

Sackey's try put the home side on their way to victory

Wasps held on to defeat Leicester for a fifth consecutive time as they closed to within a point of the Tigers in the push for a Premiership play-off place.

Only a last-minute Jordan Crane try, converted by Aaron Mauger, gave the visitors a losing bonus point.

First-half tries by Paul Sackey and Steve Kefu, either side of four Toby Flood penalties for Leicester, put Wasps 18-12 ahead at half-time.

Dave Walder added two more penalties to stretch the lead before Tigers rallied.

Although there was plenty of interest surrounding Danny Cipriani, named among the replacements for the first time since suffering a broken leg on 4 October, the Wasps fly-half remained on the bench.

Sackey opened the scoring on six minutes, racing up the right wing and breaking through three tackles but Walder missed the conversion.

Flood kicked three penalties in a row to put Leicester in front before Walder reduced the deficit to one point with a 24th-minute penalty.

As Wasps struggled in the scrum, Leicester started to gain more ground and they were given another penalty on 33 minutes which Flood landed to put them 12-8 up.

606: DEBATE Give your reaction to the win for Wasps

But the home side capitalised on some Leicester hesitation and Walder's clever offload sent Kefu between the posts in the 35th minute.

Walder converted, and added a penalty three minutes later as a stunned Leicester found themselves trailing at the break in a game they had largely dominated.

Wasps began the second half with increased intent and as Leicester made consecutive mistakes under pressure, Walder extended the Wasps lead with a penalty.

The fly-half landed his fourth kick at goal on the hour only for Flood to reply a minute later to keep the Tigers in touch at 24-15.

The England fly-half might have made it even closer but hooked another penalty chance wide from 25 yards.

The champions had to wait until the final minute to slavage a bonus point when Crane was driven over, Mauger converting, but it was too late to alter the outcome.

Wasps rugby director Tony Hanks:

"We had a few very tricky scrum problems first half, but the boys learned on the run, and it was definitely better in the second half.

"We went out there to play some rugby, and we tried to attack with width. Great to see Paul Sackey doing what he does best, and I am very pleased with the intent.

"Simon Shaw was immense, not least the way he commanded the restarts. He was one of a number of guys who stepped up because, had we lost this one, we would have slipped back to mid-table."

Leicester coach Matt O'Connor:

"We let ourselves down and took the pressure off Wasps through errors. We were not accurate enough in our execution.

"We did well in the scrums, but not in areas where we could do maximum damage. You simply cannot give the opportunities we gave Wasps, particularly a soft second try.

"But we started really well for the first half-hour before we allowed them to really get into the game."

Wasps: Van Gisbergen, Sackey, Waldouck, Kefu, Varndell; Walder, Simpson; Payne, Webber, Broster, Shaw, Birkett, Hart, Betsen, Ward-Smith
Replacements: Jacobs for Kefu (57), Leo for Birkett (57), Matthews for Hart (79).

Not Used: Ward, Bocca, Baker, Honeyben, Cipriani.

Leicester: Hamilton; Murphy, Allen, Mauger, Tuqiri; Flood, B Youngs; Ayerza, Davies, Cole, L Deacon, Parling, B Deacon, Moody, Crane.

Replacements: Tuilagi for J. Murphy (51), Chuter for Davies (51), Kay for L. Deacon (69), Newby for B. Deacon (63).

Not Used: J. Harris, R. Harris, Grindal, Staunton.

Att: 10,116

Referee: Chris White (RFU)

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