Edwards aware of Wasps' problems

Shaun Edwards admits he is “gravely concerned” after Guinness Premiership champions Wasps sunk to a six-year European low.

Wasps’ 41-11 drubbing against Leinster in Dublin means they face an uphill battle to reach this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

Edwards will return to Dublin next Wednesday for confirmation of his Lions coaching role alongside Wasps boss Ian McGeechan in South Africa next summer.

But the Wasps think-tank will probably still be picking its way through the wreckage left by Leinster’s demolition squad.

The runaway Pool Two leaders scored six tries as they inflicted Wasps’ heaviest Heineken Cup defeat since Stade Francais beat them 31-0 in 2002.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll led the way with an early try double before going off nursing a knee injury at half-time – Leinster coach Michael Cheika reported “it didn’t look too serious” – while Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Rocky Elsom and Felipe Contepomi also crossed.

Wasps have now lost six games from eight starts in all competitions this season, leaving Edwards a worried man.

He said: “It makes me feel gravely concerned about our form.

“We were second-best in the aerial battle – Leinster’s kicking game was on a different planet to ours – and I thought they were by far the most dominant side.

“We have to eradicate our errors in the kicking department, but there will be no excuses. We were second-best by a long shot.”

McGeechan was left similarly non-plussed, adding: “Everything is down to what we do in the four remaining games.

“Leinster are in the driving seat, there is no doubt about that, and we’ve got to go for four wins – simple as that.”

Even Wasps’ solitary try was tinged with controversy – full-back Jeremy Staunton crossing despite a team-mate running straight in front of Leinster’s last defender Girvan Dempsey – while a dismal night for the visitors was capped by prop Phil Vickery’s sin-binning.

And it is unlikely to get any easier for Wasps, whose next Heineken Cup opponents in December – Edinburgh – recorded a first tournament victory on French soil, beating Castres 13-6.

Edinburgh head coach Andy Robinson said: “To go to France and play in such an exciting manner in the first-half was tremendous.

“Then we showed fantastic courage to defend the way we did when they came back at us in the second-half.”

Unlike Wasps, Leicester appear to be cruising towards the last-eight, emphasised by a 60-16 stroll past Italian hosts Treviso in Pool Three.

Wing Johne Murphy led the way, scoring three of Leicester’s nine tries as Tigers backed up their hard-fought victory over the Ospreys six days earlier.

Murphy said: “It was ages ago that I scored my last hat-trick – I think it was at college.

“There was some great work by the rest of the boys, and I just had to finish it off.”

Fly-half Toby Flood and number eight Jordan Crane claimed try doubles, while there was also a penalty try and a touchdown for Geordan Murphy.

Perpignan, Leicester’s next opponents, lost 15-9 against the Ospreys as the Welsh side again failed to score a try.

A spate of injuries meant the Ospreys started with Wales Under-20 prospect Dan Biggar at fly-half, while they also lifted a two-match ban on Gavin Henson, who featured among the replacements.

Ospreys head coach Sean Holley said: “We had nine registered backs standing, and that included one (Henson) who was suspended, so we had to use him in our 22.

“It’s all to play for in the pool. I think we are all going to take points off each other and it’s going down to the wire.”

Harlequins set themselves up for a tilt at Pool Four rivals Stade Francais in December by brushing aside Ulster 42-21 at the Twickenham Stoop.

But Ulster coach Matt Williams launched a verbal volley at Welsh referee Tim Hayes, claiming: “At half-time, the count was eight penalties, two free-kicks and a penalty try against us.

“It’s an eight-zero penalty count at half-time. Are you telling me that they (Quins) did not infringe at the breakdown once in the first half?

“We will put in a report. I don’t talk to referees. It’s like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife – it doesn’t get you too far.”

Elsewhere, Stade Francais recorded a comfortable home win against the Scarlets, while Biarritz easily despatched Calvisano, and in the European Challenge Cup, Northampton blitzed Montpellier, with Saracens winning in Viadana.