Wilko return falls flat

Jonny Wilkinson's first appearance of the season could not prevent Newcastle Falcons going down 24-6 to London Wasps in the EDF Energy Cup.

Wasps led 18-0 at half-time courtesy of two early penalties from Danny Cipriani, a try from Eoin Reddan and a penalty score.

And although Wilkinson slotted penalties in the 44th and 48th minutes, a Newcastle comeback never looked on the cards.

Cipriani landed two further penalties to take his personal haul to 14 points as Wasps booked their spot in the last four of the competition with a comfortable victory.

Back to reality

Wilkinson, Toby Flood and Phil Vickery were all playing for the first time since the World Cup final, while All Black prop Carl Hayman entered the fray at half-time for his Newcastle debut, having arrived in the country on Monday.

But it was the performance of Wasps' 20-year-old stand-off Cipriani that again caught the eye - the youngster having scored two tries in last Sunday's Guinness Premiership success against the same opposition.

It helped that he was playing behind a pack whose early dominance resulted in penalties in the 11th and 17th minutes for a 6-0 lead.

Reddan added an opportunist score in the 23rd minute after Newcastle lost possession on the half-way line. The Irish scrum-half collected his own kick ahead to touch down in the left corner.

Worse followed 12 minutes later for Newcastle when referee Malcolm Chang-Leng awarded a penalty try due to the visiting pack's repeated infringements close to their own line.

Prop Jon Golding was shown a yellow card after the third offence and when his colleagues transgressed a fourth time - after Wasps opted for yet another scrum instead of a penalty kick - Chang-Leng's well of patience had run dry and he awarded the five points, which Cipriani turned into seven.

Wilkinson briefly raised Newcastle's hopes with two penalties after the break, but Cipriani ensured an 18-point margin of victory for Wasps with two further penalties of his own.