Wasps thrash Gloucester

Gloucester's poor start to the season has become a whole lot worse after Wasps inflicted a 35-6 Guinness Premiership thrashing of the Cherry and Whites at Kingsholm.

Bryan Redpath's team shipped four tries despite having more possession for the majority of the match - the difference between the two sides largely down to their respective defences.

With man of the match Serge Betsen to the fore, the visitors withstood everything Gloucester threw at them; in contrast, the hosts were woeful on the back foot as Wasps' sliced their way through with at times embarrassing ease.

The fact that Wasps' first three visits to the Gloucester 22 yielded 15 points sums up a match in which Mark Van Gisbergen touched down twice, with Dominic Waldouck and Betsen himself joining the full-back on the scoresheet.

The home side started the stronger, with the returning Carlos Spencer missing a penalty in the third minute. They earned another two minutes later after the fly-half and Lesley Vainikolo broke forward - Joe Simpson having fumbled a pass from the scrum. This time they went for the line but the move ended when Scott Lawson knocked on.

Gloucester finally got their reward when Spencer converted a long-range penalty in the 11th minute. However, Wasps scored the match's first try just two minutes later in what was their first serious foray forward - Waldouck easing through a static Gloucester defence to touch down by the posts.

Gaps

Dave Walder converted before Spencer cut the deficit with another penalty midway through the opening period.

With Wasps again exposing gaps in the Gloucester defence - Ben Jacobs executing a fine step over but failing to find Paul Sackey on the right flank - Walder kicked a penalty to place the visitors four points clear.

Wasps were beginning to gain more possession - Vainikolo backpedalling to just beat Sackey to a chip through on the half hour before Walder edged them three points further clear, a penalty Spencer was unable to eke back one minute before half time when his shanked kick flew wide.

The home side and their fans fed off each other - no-one more so than Vainikolo - as Gloucester upped the intensity at the start of the second period.

Yet Wasps dealt with the threat calmly before coming forward to score their second try. The home defence put up more resistance than they had for Waldouck's effort but Van Gisbergen nevertheless went over in the right-hand corner.

Walder missed the conversion but Gloucester needed tries and went for the corner when handed a penalty in the 50th minute. Their phases of play leapt into double figures as they pounded Wasps' line but the move came to nought following a knock on.

Rubbing it in

Spencer was replaced by Nicky Robinson - Waldouck also departing following a clash of heads - as Gloucester still looked for a way back.

A full 17 phases of rugby came past the hour but this time it was Robinson's turn to knock on. Walder then rubbed it in with a long range three-pointer.

The final nails were then hammered home. A scything run from David Lemi set up Simpson, whose final pass allowed Betsen to cross under the posts with 10 minutes left.

Walder then converted and it was his off-load that set up Van Gisbergen for the bonus-point try with three minutes remaining.