Wasps (16) 33
Tries: Jacobs, Betsen, Penalty Cons: Walder 3 Pens: Walder 4
Newcastle (10) 16
Try: Gopperth Con: Gopperth Pens: Gopperth 3

Dave Walder kicked four penalties and three conversions

Fly-half Dave Walder scored 18 points to help Wasps to a convincing victory over his former side Newcastle.

Walder kicked three penalties in the first half with Jimmy Gopperth kicking over for the visitors.

Gopperth then converted his own score on the stroke of half-time to reply perfectly to a score from Ben Jacobs.

Walder's fourth penalty was followed by two more for Gopperth, but Serge Betsen went over for Wasps and victory was secured with a penalty try.

There were contrasting fortunes for some of the internationals on display - Wales's Andy Powell was inspirational for Wasps but England's Riki Flutey, making his first start since suffering a calf injury in October, limped off before the end.

Wasps raced into an early six-point lead with two Walder penalties and they dominated the early stages, but Newcastle stayed in touch with Gopperth's first penalty of the match.

Walder then kicked his third penalty, before the home side's dominance was further rewarded with their first try, as Jacobs carried five Newcastle defenders with him over the line.

Newcastle hit back on the stroke of the interval. Flanker Redford Pennycook's jinking run set-up Gopperth with the scoring pass - the latter kicking over the conversion to close the gap to 16-10.

In the second half, Walder extended Wasps' advantage but Gopperth successfully kicked two more penalties to keep the Falcons in touch heading into the final quarter.

It was not until the final 11 minutes that Wasps finally made the game safe and they did so in stunning style, with a 45-metre rolling maul, finished off by Betsen.

Powell would have rounded off his day with a deserved try as he peeled off the back of a scrum to touch down next to the posts - but referee White had already awarded the penalty try.

Wasps director of rugby Tony Hanks on Andy Powell:
"He is tailor-made to be a Wasp - he is a little bit different, he is a character and the guys love him.

"Ultimately it is about putting in performances on the pitch and Powell made a huge statement with his ball carrying.

"He is getting used to the way we play and he is quickly becoming a senior player and a leader in our group. Most of the things that were good about our game were kicked off by Powell."

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait:
"We are targeting our home games. It is a short week for us, thankfully, we have got five days to get back on the paddock and I hope the guys respond.

"To be marched back from just about halfway [for Betsen's try] is unacceptable and I have told them it is unacceptable.

"As a pack of forwards they got a bit of a doing."

Wasps: Haughton; Varndell, Jacobs (capt), Flutey, Lemi; Walder, Berry; Payne, Lindsay, Taulafo; Shaw, Cannon; Matthews, Worsley, Powell.

Replacements: Kefu for Flutey (71), Beech for Payne (67), Broster for Taulafo (50), van Gisbergen for Cannon (67), Betsen Tchoua for Matthews (41).
Not Used: Hobson, Veale, Holmes.

Newcastle: Manning, Fielden, Tu'ipulotu, Eves, Bobo, Gopperth, Young, Shiels, Thompson, Brookes, Hudson, Swinson, Welch, Pennycook, Hogg.

Replacements: Fitzpatrick for Manning (64), Williams for Eves (60), Spice for Young (60), Ward for Shiels (71), Levi for Hudson (71), M. Wilson for Pennycook (56).
Not Used: Hall, Ryan.

Att: 7,614

Ref: Chris White (RFU).

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