Exiles sting Wasps in thriller to guarantee play-off place

LONDON IRISH held their nerve to win a sensational game of 14 tries, guaranteeing a place in the end-of-season play-offs and destroying Wasps’ 16-month unbeaten home league record.

The three-time Premiership champions had not been beaten at the Causeway Stadium since Bath defeated them in January 2005.

But that record is in tatters after the Exiles ran in nine tries in a pulsating match that was littered with errors but full of brilliant counter-attacking from both sides.

England wing Tom Voyce completed a hat-trick of tries early in the second half and Ayoola Erinle and Jeremy Staunton also scored for Wasps with Mark Van Gisbergen kicking three conversions and two penalties.

Their defence, though, was leaking like a sieve with Topsy Ojo and Riki Flutey both touching down twice and Dominic Feau’nati, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Bob Casey, Mike Catt and Delon Armitage also helping themselves to tries for the Exiles. Flutey kicked a late penalty and Catt added four conversions.

The result means London Irish are bound for the play-offs and a shot at the Guinness Premiership title after years in the doldrums.

And the signs look ominous for Wasps, whose much-vaunted defence was torn to pieces repeatedly. They have to win their final game of the regular season at Gloucester to keep their bid for a fourth successive league crown alive.

Meanwhile, Northampton secured a place in next season’s Heineken Cup after producing an astounding fightback against Memorial Stadium hosts Bristol.

The Saints were lamentable for 79 minutes of a forgettable contest ruined by the fussy refereeing of Wayne Barnes and a succession of injuries.

But the game was transformed in dramatic fashion after Bristol’s substitute hooker Neil Clark was sin-binned.

Northampton trailed 16-0 but they scored three tries in eight minutes to complete an amazing 19-16 success.

England hooker Steve Thompson, who appeared as a half-time substitute, crashed over on 79 minutes, then Scotland wing Sean Lamont sliced through a huge gap to take Northampton within reach of their opponents.

Bristol, whose forwards had dominated most of the match, dug deep to try to close the game out but England wing Ben Cohen touched down in the seventh minute of injury-time to clinch the four points Northampton needed to guarantee Heineken Cup qualification before captain Bruce Reihana kicked his second conversion.

Northampton will join Sale Sharks, Leicester, Wasps, London Irish and Gloucester as the sixth Guinness Premiership representative in top-flight European competition next term.

WASPS: van Gisbergen, Sackey, Erinle, Abbott, Voyce, Staunton, Reddan, Payne, Ibanez, Bracken, Shaw, R. Birkett, Leo, Lock, Dallaglio. Replacements: Lewsey for Sackey (48), Worsley for Lock (48).

LONDON IRISH: Armitage, Ojo, Catt, Feau’nati, Tagicakibau, Flutey, Hodgson, Hatley, Paice, Skuse, Casey, Roche, Danaher, Magne, Leguizamon. Replacements: Russell for Magne (37).

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (Bristol).