Wasps sting Schmidt’s Leinster

FAR from a bright beginning for new Leinster coach Joe Schmidt as his side were given a lesson in organisation, intensity and clinical finishing by Shaun Edwards’ London-based boys in a friendly at Donnybrook last night.

In the third minute, Wasps wing Tom Varndell stretched away to the line as David Kearney and Ian Madigan were brushed aside far too easily. But the largely experimental Leinster collection of Academy, post-Academy and senior players soon settled, the spark for their revival being the immediate assurance of Luke Fitzgerald at full-back. Out of the game for ten months, Fitzgerald looked focussed, lean and mean.

Out-half Madigan kicked a 28th minute penalty and he found the target again in the 37th minute for a lead that didn’t last too long.

Dave Walder dispatched a penalty for an 8-6 advantage to the visitors at the interval.

An array of replacements from both sides afforded Wasps the first chance to combine fluently in attack against a confused home defence. Centre Ben Jacobs benefited from the impact of Riki Flutey. Fly-half Walder kicked the conversion for a 15-6 gap in the 45th minute. With a clutch of Leinster’s Ireland internationals looking on from the main stand, Wasps introduced a mixture of experience and youth that scorched right through Leinster’s flimsy rearguard for tries from Mark van Gisbergen, a second from Richard Haughton, Sevens expert Christian Wade and centre Ben Jacobs.

Scorers for London Wasps: (R Haughton 2 tries; C Wade, M van Gisbergen, B Jacobs, T Varndell try each; D Walder pen, con; J Simpson 3 cons).

Scorers for Leinster: I Madigan (2 pens).

LEINSTER: L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, E O’Malley, E Sheridan, I Nacewa; I Madigan, P O’Donohoe; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross, T Hogan, D Toner, E Sheriff, P Ryan, S O’Brien (capt).

Replacements: F McFadden for Sheridan 19 mins; J Harris-Wright for Strauss, N Morris for Fitzgerald, M Keating for Nacewa, I Boss for O’Donohoe all ht; B Marshall for O’Brien, S Wright for Ross, I McKinley for Madigan, I Nacewa for Kearney all 55 mins; D Ryan for P Ryan 62 mins; J McGrath for van der Merwe 69 mins; M Ross for Wright, M Galarza for Hogan both 72 mins.

LONDON WASPS: J Wallace; R Haughton, B Jacobs, D Waldouck (capt), T Varndell; D Walder, N Berry; Z Taulafo, T Lindsay, P Vickery, M Veale, R Birkett, W Matthews, S Betsen, J Hart.

Replacements: R Webber for Lindsay 14 mins – temp; S Jones for Matthews 25 mins; T Rees for Hart, R Flutey for Waldouck, B Broster for Vickery, J Cannon for Veale, J Simpson for Berry, C Wade for Varndell all ht; S Shaw for Birkett, M van Gisbergen for Wallace, R Webber for Lindsay, T Payne for Taulafo, E Daly for Jacobs all 55 mins; M Veale for Jones 77 mins.

Referee: J Lacey, IRFU.