Wasps win Anglo-Celtic challenge

Llanelli Scarlets 17 Wasps 20

Wasps made another addition to their bulging trophy cabinet by winning the inaugural Zurich Anglo-Celtic Challenge at Stradey Park tonight.

The English and European champions began where they finished last term – with skipper Lawrence Dallaglio lifting silverware.

But Llanelli came within touching distance of denying them after they launched a strong second-half revival sparked by tries from scrum-half Mike Phillips and wing Aisea Havili.

The Scarlets wiped out a 12-point interval deficit to lead 17-15 as Wasps lost their way following a raft of interval substitutions made by rugby director Warren Gatland.

In the end, it too England wing Tom Voyce’s sparkling 74th-minute touchdown to secure victory and leave Llanelli rueing Phillips’ late sin-binning.

A crowd of almost 7,000 watched Wasps take an early grip on proceedings through tries from centres Peter Richards and Ayoola Erinle.

And with star summer signing Matt Dawson directing operations during a determined 55-minute contribution, Wasps were in charge until Llanelli forced their foot off the pedal and took over the driving seat.

Wasps, who begin the pursuit of a possible third successive Zurich Premiership title against Saracens at Twickenham next Saturday, were without injured backs Stuart Abbott, Fraser Waters and Alex King, while England lock Simon Shaw rested a neck strain.

Scrum-half Richards was pressed into emergency midfield duty alongside Erinle, but Wasps’ England World Cup quartet of Dawson, Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey and Joe Worsley all started.

Reigning Celtic League champions Llanelli paraded back-row newcomers Gavin Thomas and Andy Powell, with fly-half Gareth Bowen starting as skipper in his first big test since Stephen Jones’ departure to French club Montferrand.

Richards took less than two minutes to make his mark, rounding off a superb handling move after fly-half James Brooks sliced through a gaping Llanelli defence.

Mark Van Gisbergen landed the conversion, and although Bowen got Llanelli off the mark with a penalty, Wasps continued their relentless attacking onslaught.

Desperate scrambling defence from Thomas prevented a second Wasps try, but it proved only a temporary reprieve as Brooks’ pass sent Erinle galloping over.

Dallaglio, whose team could hardly have made a better start, was then warned by Irish referee Alain Rolland following a skirmish with Phillips, which confirmed the game’s competitive nature.

Llanelli’s best moments came from Scott Quinnell, whose barnstorming runs off set-piece possession showed that, at 32, he remains a major influence for the Scarlets.

A 26th-minute Van Gisbergen penalty extended Wasps’ advantage to 15-3, putting the Londoners in control at half-time, despite Llanelli showing flickering signs of a revival.

Gatland and his Llanelli counterpart Gareth Jenkins made numerous half-time changes, with Lewsey, Worsley and Quinnell among several players who did not appear for the second period.

Llanelli struck the first scoring blow when Phillips showed his pace and strength through a blindside try-scoring break, and Bowen’s conversion narrowed the gap to five points.

Scarlets full-back Garan Evans had a try disallowed midway through the second period – referee Rolland called play back following an earlier knock-on – as Wasps struggled to rediscover their fluency.

Havili’s touchdown, converted by Bowen, confirmed Wasps’ slump, but like all champion teams they ultimately conjured up a score when it really mattered, and it was too late for Llanelli to reply.