Scrumbag

Wasps Win Powergen Cup

London Wasps have picked up the first silverware of the season by beating Llanelli Scarlets 26-10 in a match more memorable for two worrying injuries to back-rowers than anything done with ball in hand.  Less than a minute had gone by when Johnny O'Connor, taking crash ball forward, ran into the considerable frame of Alix Popham.  The Irish open-side flanker was treated for several minutes before being taken to hospital as a precaution.  He is expected to make a full recovery.  Llanelli were quickest to get their playing heads on after the lengthy stoppage, with Barry Davies scoring a fine individual try to which Mike Hercus added the extras.  Jeremy Staunton then scored a penalty to narrow the gap, before a Hercus penalty reinstated it.

The second injury was another one to an Irish back-row, this time Llanelli blind-side Simon Easterby, who in an heavy collision swallowed his tongue.  Colleague Mark Jones left the defensive line to see to his team-mate and friend, and after another long stoppage Easterby was stretchered off wearing an oxygen mask.  We can at least take the fact that he watched the second half from the stands as a good sign.  Llanelli seemed to lose their sea-legs from that point on, Hercus intercepting a loose pass only to follow it up by impersonating a man running in treacle.  When opposite number Staunton also intercepted one, from Clive Staurt-Smith, he raced ahead and fed Tom Voyce for a levelling try.  Voyce touched down again in the second half, and judicious kicking from van Gisbergen and Alex King saw the English side home.

Scarlets sweat on stars' soreness scenario

Llanelli Scarlets are anxiously waiting for positive news of a number of star players as they prepare for their Powergen final against Wasps.  With scrum-half Dwayne Peel, winger Mark Jones and Alix Popham still nursing Six Nations scars, the last thing the Welsh side needed was further injuries to be sustained in last week's derby with the Ospreys.

Unfortunately, that's just what happened, and Simon Easterby, Lee Byrne and Inoke Afeaki are also jostling for space in the treatment room with time running out.  Coach Nigel Davies struck a positive note, remarking "We will just have to take stock and see what the medical team say, these things tend to heal pretty quickly." 

Reddan: "Cheers, Matt"

Ahead of this weekend's Powergen Cup Final, Eoin Reddan has paid tribute to the influence of the man whose number nine jersey he has pinched.  In his first season at Wasps, the 25-year-old scrum-half has played a huge part in the side's run to the final and their largely successful league campaign, as well as breaking into the Ireland squad.

A relative unknown when he moved from Connacht, Reddan is viewed by many as the successor to Peter Stringer in Ireland's thorny half-back division.  He credits this stellar rise to playing alongside Question of Sport stalwart Matt Dawson.

"I've received so much help from coaches and from Matt. In fairness to Matt, if he ever thinks about becoming a coach someday then he definitely should. He has been a great help every step of the way and I've learnt so much from him."  Not too long until you can trade barbed comments with Ally McCoist full-time, Daws.

Bath 26 Llanelli 27

The brains that came up with the idea to introduce the Welsh provinces into the Powergen Cup had their dreams come true this afternoon as Llannelli Scarlets pipped Bath in a thrilling match at the Millennium Stadium. So that means it's England vs. Wales in the final -  exactly what the head honchos at the WRU and the RFU dreamt of!

Llanelli outscored Bath by three tries to two, but Bath were kept in touching thanks to the excellent kicking of Chris Malone. The game was played at a frantic pace as penalties and tries were exchanged throughout, but in the end it was Llanelli and their last-gasp penalty from Mike Hercus.

Llannell will now meet London Wasps in the inaugural final of the contest,  to be played on Sunday 9th April. You can buy tickets by clicking here. 

Bat

Wasps 22 Tigers 17

Despite a late comeback from the Leicester Tigers, London Wasps became the first of the four semi-final teams to make it in to the Anglo-Welsh Powergen Cup final.

In the run up to the game, all the talk had been as much about Dallaglio vs. Corry as Leicester vs. Wasps, with the two England number eight contenders coming head to head. Both are currently competing for both the number eight spot and the captaincy and fans were fascinated to see who would win their personal battle.

But before we go on to that, more of the actual game. The first half was scrappy and loose, with the real feel that neither side were feeling particularly confident following a run of poor form for both. However, the kicking of Jeremy Staunton gave Wasps an early lead and from the first penalty, the Londoners were never behind after that.

However, Leicester won the try count three-to-one but a poor kicking day from the usually reliable Andy Goode cost them dear. Not striking the ball at all well, Goode missed more than one easy kick and looked off form throughout.

A late rally by Leicester saw them cross the Wasps line twice but only one score was given. Who knows what the story would have been if that had been allowed...? One can only speculate.

Wasps scored a breakaway try from a Leicester attack to seal the game and cement their place in the final.

As for who won the Corry/Dallaglio matter, I'm a Tiger so I'm always going to side with Mr. Corry. However, it should be said that Corry had the cleaner game. He, for example, didn't try to decapitate his opposition scrum half, unlike some prolific number eights on the field that I could mention...!

More Club vs. Country Rows.

And so it continues. Further arguments in the debacle that is the club vs. country row. It's hard to believe the RFU and the clubs have been bickering over this same issue for 11 whole years, but they have and this is the latest bust up.

It's about the Powergen Cup semi-finals. Leicester, Bath and Wasps are all involved in the showcase at the Millennium Stadium on March 4th. However, England play France in the Six Nations just eight days later.

The RFU had requested that all international players be rested for the Powergen semi-finals. Unsurprisingly, the clubs have answered with a resounding NO. Can you really blame them? Each club have battled hard to get in to the semi finals of the domestic competition, so why should they feel obliged to pick an understrength team for what could be on of their games of the season?

In an interesting twist, Wales coach Mike Ruddock is able to pull out Llanelli players involved in the Powergen semi-finals as Welsh players are centrally contracted.

Maybe if the RFU had been more organised when the game went professional, we wouldn't be in this mess now.

Reddan: "Cheers, Matt"

Ahead of this weekend's Powergen Cup Final, Eoin Reddan has paid tribute to the influence of the man whose number nine jersey he has pinched.  In his first season at Wasps, the 25-year-old scrum-half has played a huge part in the side's run to the final and their largely successful league campaign, as well as breaking into the Ireland squad.

A relative unknown when he moved from Connacht, Reddan is viewed by many as the successor to Peter Stringer in Ireland's thorny half-back division.  He credits this stellar rise to playing alongside Question of Sport stalwart Matt Dawson.

"I've received so much help from coaches and from Matt. In fairness to Matt, if he ever thinks about becoming a coach someday then he definitely should. He has been a great help every step of the way and I've learnt so much from him."  Not too long until you can trade barbed comments with Ally McCoist full-time, Daws.

Bath 26 Llanelli 27

The brains that came up with the idea to introduce the Welsh provinces into the Powergen Cup had their dreams come true this afternoon as Llannelli Scarlets pipped Bath in a thrilling match at the Millennium Stadium. So that means it's England vs. Wales in the final -  exactly what the head honchos at the WRU and the RFU dreamt of!

Llanelli outscored Bath by three tries to two, but Bath were kept in touching thanks to the excellent kicking of Chris Malone. The game was played at a frantic pace as penalties and tries were exchanged throughout, but in the end it was Llanelli and their last-gasp penalty from Mike Hercus.

Llannell will now meet London Wasps in the inaugural final of the contest,  to be played on Sunday 9th April. You can buy tickets by clicking here. 

Bat

Wasps 22 Tigers 17

Despite a late comeback from the Leicester Tigers, London Wasps became the first of the four semi-final teams to make it in to the Anglo-Welsh Powergen Cup final.

In the run up to the game, all the talk had been as much about Dallaglio vs. Corry as Leicester vs. Wasps, with the two England number eight contenders coming head to head. Both are currently competing for both the number eight spot and the captaincy and fans were fascinated to see who would win their personal battle.

But before we go on to that, more of the actual game. The first half was scrappy and loose, with the real feel that neither side were feeling particularly confident following a run of poor form for both. However, the kicking of Jeremy Staunton gave Wasps an early lead and from the first penalty, the Londoners were never behind after that.

However, Leicester won the try count three-to-one but a poor kicking day from the usually reliable Andy Goode cost them dear. Not striking the ball at all well, Goode missed more than one easy kick and looked off form throughout.

A late rally by Leicester saw them cross the Wasps line twice but only one score was given. Who knows what the story would have been if that had been allowed...? One can only speculate.

Wasps scored a breakaway try from a Leicester attack to seal the game and cement their place in the final.

As for who won the Corry/Dallaglio matter, I'm a Tiger so I'm always going to side with Mr. Corry. However, it should be said that Corry had the cleaner game. He, for example, didn't try to decapitate his opposition scrum half, unlike some prolific number eights on the field that I could mention...!

More Club vs. Country Rows.

And so it continues. Further arguments in the debacle that is the club vs. country row. It's hard to believe the RFU and the clubs have been bickering over this same issue for 11 whole years, but they have and this is the latest bust up.

It's about the Powergen Cup semi-finals. Leicester, Bath and Wasps are all involved in the showcase at the Millennium Stadium on March 4th. However, England play France in the Six Nations just eight days later.

The RFU had requested that all international players be rested for the Powergen semi-finals. Unsurprisingly, the clubs have answered with a resounding NO. Can you really blame them? Each club have battled hard to get in to the semi finals of the domestic competition, so why should they feel obliged to pick an understrength team for what could be on of their games of the season?

In an interesting twist, Wales coach Mike Ruddock is able to pull out Llanelli players involved in the Powergen semi-finals as Welsh players are centrally contracted.

Maybe if the RFU had been more organised when the game went professional, we wouldn't be in this mess now.