Wasps face European exit

Wasps 15 Toulouse 15

English champions Wasps are lurching towards an early European exit for a second successive season after dropping priceless home points against Pool Six favourites Toulouse.

The 2004 Heineken Cup winners had full Mark Van Gisbergen to thank for rescuing them with his fifth successful penalty eight minutes into injury-time after an intense Causeway Stadium clash.

Wasps though, must now win all four remaining pool games – including the return against Toulouse in France – to have any realistic chance of progressing.

Wasps were undone by Leicester and Biarritz in last season’s Heineken Cup, failing to reach the knockout stages.

And Toulouse set up a repeat showing by preserving their unbeaten pool record and frustrating Lawrence Dallaglio’s side as they collected just two points.

Toulouse scored tries through full-back Gareth Thomas and wing Vincent Clerc, while Frederic Michalak dropped a goal and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde landed a conversion as the French giants trooped off in a far happier state of mind than their hosts.

Wasps rugby director Ian McGeechan made just one change, despite a shock defeat against Edinburgh last weekend, replacing tighthead prop Peter Bracken with Jon Dawson.

England quintet Van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Tom Voyce, Matt Dawson and Simon Shaw, meanwhile, had a last chance to impress had coach Andy Robinson before the world champions’ 22-man squad for the autumn Test opener against Australia is announced next Thursday.

Toulouse included Wales captain Thomas at full-back and Irish international Trevor Brennan in the second-row as they looked to underline their status as Europe’s premier club.

Van Gisbergen, seemingly England’s full-back elect for the Wallabies clash, started confidently after uncertain displays against Sale Sharks and Edinburgh, and he slotted a sixth-minute penalty after missing his opening kick from halfway.

Toulouse did not take long to settle and they stunned Wasps through a 16th-minute score that originated inside their own half.

Van Gisbergen was penalised for not releasing possession in a tackle, and Elissalde caught Wasps hopping by taking a quick penalty, finding centre Yannick Jauzion and then Brennan in support.

Brennan had the presence of mind to kick ahead as Wasps defenders frantically chased back, and Thomas claimed the touchdown, despite fly Alex King’s desperate lunge.

Elissalde slotted the conversion, edging Toulouse 7-3 ahead, but he missed a chance to further punish Wasps 10 minutes later when he drifted a penalty wide after Van Gisbergen again infringed.

Van Gisbergen’s misery continued when he fumbled in defence while trying to gather a Michalak kick, yet Toulouse could not control possession from the resulting five-metre scrum, and Wasps counter-attacked.

Sterling defensive work by Thomas held Wasps up, but King ghosted clear and almost put flanker Jonny O’Connor over.

Toulouse somehow stemmed the attacking flow, although referee Alain Rolland deemed it to be by illegal methods, and Van Gisbergen subsequently slotted two penalties in five minutes approaching half-time

Toulouse finished the opening period on top territorially, but Wasps shaded an intense opening period, courtesy of Van Gisbergen’s kicking.

Shaw, in a move to concern Robinson, was replaced at half-time by George Skivington, and Toulouse almost regained the lead when an Elissalde penalty landed just short, Dallaglio having been punished for obstructing the scrum-half.

Wasps were then cut open in midfield by a rampaging Brennan, and the chasing Thomas exerted sufficient pressure on Van Gisbergen to force another error as he conceded a scrum-five.

Wasps collapsed the ensuing set-piece, and although he drifted the resulting penalty wide, Toulouse quickly added their second try.

King’s missed tackle on centre Jauzion allowed Toulouse numbers out wide, and incisive build-up play enabled Thomas to send an unmarked Clerc scampering over.

Elissalde’s radar again proved wayward – the missed conversion was his fourth botched kick – but Michalak dropped a goal five minutes later after Van Gisbergen’s fourth successful penalty briefly tied the game at 12-12.

Toulouse were a far more dangerous unit than their hosts with ball in hand, and Wasps’ misfiring lineout continued to be a source of frustration for Dallaglio and his troops.

Even when Wasps put together a succession of attacking phases, there was a miserable finale when King sent a point-blank drop-goal attempt embarrassingly under the crossbar.

Wing Cedric Heymans then narrowly missed a 50-metre penalty chance, which left Wasps with 10 minutes to effectively rescue their Heineken Cup campaign.

As if to confirm Wasps’ desire for fresh impetus, McGeechan substituted Dallaglio eight minutes from time, replacing him with England Under-21 international Tom Rees, but Toulouse continued comfortably absorbing any pressure.

The visitors suffered an injury blow four minutes from time when Elissalde limped off, yet Toulouse were denied when Van Gisbergen struck his equalising penalty deep into added time.