Wasps ‘A’ outdone by Saracens Storm

Wasps ‘A’ went down 10 – 21 to Saracens Storm at Henley on Monday night.

Wasps couldn't follow up their fine win at The Rec in their last outing as they struggled to show much threat against a strong Saracens Storm side.

The opening first ten minutes were open and expansive with lots of rugby shown by both teams who both looked intent to play. However, neither were able to threathen the line any great deal.

Saracens slowly began to take a hold of the game, playing in the right areas of the field and enjoying lots of territory. With 23 minutes gone the visitors opened their account with a well worked try from a lineout on the Wasps 22. An inside pass from Nils Mordt to Duncan Taylor saw the winger cruise in under the posts. The try was converted by Sam Stanley to take the score to Wasps 0-7 Saracens.

Wasps were immediately awarded a penalty at the other end for hands in the ruck and Ryans Davis made no mistake getting his side on the scoreboard.

Saracens then turned their pressure into more points scoring a second try on the stroke of half time, Will Fraser picking from the base and crashing over and Stanley converting. It was Wasps 3 – 14 Saracens at halftime.

At halftime Wasps replaced Charlie Davies with Jonah Holmes. Saracens replaced Andy Saull, Petrus DuPlessis and Hugh Vyvyan with Harry Allen, Alex McKenzie and Eoin Sherriff.

With 20 minutes of the second half played, Saracens blasted over for their third try, Fraser picking and driving for his second of the game. Wasps 3 – 21 Saracens.

Two minutes later Sam Jones was then sent to the sin bin for ten minutes and then Saracens replaced Ben Ransom and Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier with Henry Staff and Liam Davies and shortly after Nick Auterac and Kameli Ratuvou came on for Val Rapava and Geoffrey Sella. Wasps also used the chance to empty their bench with six changes. Bob Baker, Nathan Morris Jeremy Castex, Lewis Calder, Ryan Davis and Charlie Ingall came off for Alec Hepburn, Frederico Rodriguez, Lewis Thiede, Gus Jones, Max Edwards, and George Eastwell.

With just less than ten minutes to go, Wasps scored a consolation try, Jonah Holmes picking well and burrowing over from 5 metres out. Davis converted to make it Wasps 10-21 Saracens.

Wasps ‘A’

15. Jack Wallace, 14. Charlie Ingall, 13. Chris Mayor, 12. Alex Cheesman, 11. Chris Bishay, 10. Ryan Davis, 9. Charlie Davies, 1. Bob Baker, 2. Nathan Morris, 3. Jeremy Castex, 4. Steve Pape, 5. Dave Shotton, 6. Sam Jones, 7. Lewis Calder, 8. Joe Burton

Replacements

16. Frederico Rodriguez, 17. Alec Hepburn, 18. Lewis Thiede, 19. Gus Jones, 20. Max Edwards, 21. Graeme Smith, 22. George Eastwell, 23. Jonah Holmes

Saracens Storm

15 Ben Ransom, 14 Joe Maddock, 13 Sam Stanley, 12 Kameli Ratuvou, 11 Duncan Taylor, 10 Nils Mordt, 9 Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier, 1 Nick Auterac, 2 Scott Spurling, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 4 Billy Johnson, 5 Hugh Vyvyan, 6 Will Fraser, 7 Andy Saull, 8 Justin Melck.

Replacements

16 Harry Allen, 17 Val Rapava, 18 Alex McKenzie, 19 Eoin Sherriff, 20 Sean Vine, 21 Liam Davies, 22 Geoffrey Sella, 23 Henry Staff