Always a Wasp

Author Topic: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.  (Read 3271 times)

Shugs

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #30 on: September 02, 2022, 08:56:36 PM »
Liking the sound of McDonald. Hopefully Atkinson/Cardall/Barbeary nothing serious

Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #31 on: September 02, 2022, 09:04:32 PM »
From Bobby -

A mixed bag
They ground out a result in the end, but that was very scrappy from Wasps. They were ruthless with their two tries in the second half but had to absorb a lot of pressure and barely got any multi-phases possession together in the second 40 minutes.

The Dragons spent most of the period in Wasps territory and it was often only through penalties that Wasps stopped them.

The set-piece was passable in the first half but really fell apart after halftime, if they're to do anything against Gloucester in a fortnight they'll need to tighten up there.

Still, this was a good test for Wasps after they blew Doncaster away and highlights where they need to improve ahead of the Premiership kickoff. And to get a 14-point win given all those negatives shows they can get the job done.
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Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #32 on: September 02, 2022, 09:05:55 PM »
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It's game day.

Rodney Parade will see Wales face England at club level as Gallagher Premiership side Wasps arrive to take on the United Rugby Championship outfit the Dragons.

For the visitors, it is a final chance to fine tune before they kick-off their league season next weekend against Gloucester.

The Dragons, who played Bristol Bears last week, have one more friendly after this as they travel to Scarlets in a week's time.

Tonight's game is not on TV and isn't being live streamed.

For full team news and live updates from Rodney Parade, see the live blog below...

KEY EVENTS
TRY DRAGONS!!!
20:42
TRY WASPS!!!
20:36
TRY DRAGONS!!!
20:34
TRY WASPS!!!
20:11
Wasps lead at half-time
19:52

21:00KEY EVENT
Flash report: Dragons 12-28 Wasps
Wasps withheld a spirited Dragons fightback to finish their two-game pre-season campaign undefeated heading into their Gallagher Premiership season opener against Gloucester.

The Black and Golds built a 21-point lead at Rodney Parade through Josh Bassett and Ali Crossdale's first-half tries before Burger Odendaal got the third early into the second period.

Dragons ended the contest on top as Bradley Roberts and Luke Yendle crossed, sandwiching Wasps' fourth try registered by Zach Kibirige.

It was tale of two halves for Lee Blackett's men as preparations concluded ahead of the trip to Kingsholm on Sunday week as flair in attack was undermined by a setpiece that crumbled as Dragons' replacements made an impact.

Fresh from scoring two tries in the friendly victory over Doncaster, Bassett was back at it after 12 minutes as great defensive pressure forced Dragons into errors that Dan Robson and Charlie Atkinson punished, attacking around the fringes of a breakdown and the latter's offload gave the big Wasps winger five metres to cover and power over.

Just four minutes later, the lead was doubled and it had Sam Spink's fingerprints all over it. The academy graduate worked his way through two Dragons defenders on halfway before smashing Jordan Williams down on the 22. Ryan Mills arrived to grubber deliciously for Crossdale to grab on the goalline and dot down.

Both sides lost their fly-halves to injury as Sam Davies was replaced by JJ Hanrahan before Atkinson, for the second week running, made way before the break with heavy strapping to the deadleg suffered a week previously.

A third Wasps score appeared on as Luke Mehson burned down the right wing, only for the retreating Max Clark to take away his legs on the 22 where he lost possession. It came shortly after Dragons' best chance came and went when Jack Dixon's burst wasn't followed up with a pass to the supporting Ross Moriarty and was turned over.

Seven half-time changes didn't dent Wasps' superiority as they moved further ahead when Mills' grubber skewed up off a stray boot for Porter to pounce and offload to the onrushing Burger to grab his first try in Black and Gold.

Rhodri Williams set pulses racing for Dragons breaking the deadlock when he looked likely to win the footrace with Bassett to a kick ahead only for Matteo Minozzi to arrive from nowhere to ground. Then it was the turn of Wasps' forwards to repel a rolling maul.

There was a flurry or late scoring as replacement Dragons hooker Roberts burrowed over to finally get his side on the scoreboard but it was cancelled out when Kibirige ran home after smart work from Odendaal and Porter.

The last score of the game went the way of the Welsh province as Jared Rosser used his huge frame to punch holes. With Wasps on the backfoot, Rhodri Williams cleverly offloaded to Yendle to finish by the right corner flag.
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Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #33 on: September 02, 2022, 09:09:17 PM »
Excellent photo on Wasps twatter Full Time Post- Burger powering through
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Shugs

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #34 on: September 02, 2022, 09:10:02 PM »
Interesting that it sounded a deal more positive than that. Still, away in The Valleys was never going to be a cakewalk. Maybe more things to work on than first thought.

Peej

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #35 on: September 02, 2022, 09:27:16 PM »
Think Barbeary was yellow carded rather than injured

Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #36 on: September 02, 2022, 09:28:54 PM »
Think Barbeary was yellow carded rather than injured

Yep
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Rossm

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #37 on: September 02, 2022, 09:54:37 PM »
And all our tries came from the backs. Now there's a surprise.
SLAVA UKRAINI!
HEROYAM SLAVA!

Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #38 on: September 02, 2022, 10:13:55 PM »
And all our tries came from the backs. Now there's a surprise.

Lee will be upset 🤣
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Bloke in North Dorset

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JonnyD

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #40 on: September 03, 2022, 07:34:05 AM »
Bit of a concern that the scrum and lineout fell away.
Potentially understandable if it was on the LH side in the scrum of when changes at lock came as well.
Lineout is a worry when Cruse and Frost are throwing and you have Dodson/Macdonald to hit at 6ft7/6ft8 and Cardall, Willis and Brad as options. Was Cardall calling again? Really shows the importance of a line out calling master I think, we have lost Gaskell and Stooke is out so definitely time for someone to step up.

bigad82

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #41 on: September 04, 2022, 10:38:04 AM »

JonnyD

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #42 on: September 04, 2022, 10:50:42 AM »
Must have recorded over the tape of last week’s game.

Charlie is liking that late loop around to the blindside, worked well again for Bassett’s try.
Some nice touches in there from Mills for Crossdale’s try and Odendaal for Kibirige.
Dare I say it, if the centres stay fit…. We might be ok

Neils

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #43 on: September 04, 2022, 10:57:56 AM »
Spink looks immense.
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Shugs

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Re: Match Thread - 7 pm kick off.
« Reply #44 on: September 04, 2022, 11:26:49 AM »
Yes, really starting to look forward to seeing Odendaal/Spink as a combo.