Cipriani boots Wasps to victory

Danny Cipriani kicked three penalties to guide Wasps to a dour but important 9-0 victory over Saracens at Adams Park.

The Melbourne-bound fly-half, who will leave the club at the end of the season, demonstrated that his mind is still very much focused on Wasps as he punished Saracens for their indiscipline.

The win lifts the Londoners up to fourth in the Guinness Premiership table, just five points and one place behind Saracens who were some way below their best.

With all eyes on Cipriani and fellow departee Paul Sackey, the former laid down an early marker as he was on target with a penalty just two minutes in when the visitors were pinged for collapsing a scrum.

The 22-year-old was equally accurate eight minutes later as he doubled the advantage.

Referee Chris White allowed the hosts an extended advantage, but eventually returned to the original Saracens offence of not releasing, allowing Cipriani another shot at the posts.

Wasps possessed more pace and ambition than their rivals and threatened a try when England wing Tom Varndell brushed off Noah Cato to spark a rapid attack that faltered only when White penalised the home side for holding on at a ruck.

Saracens, who have never beaten Wasps at Adams Park, rarely looked capable of changing that, with their efforts undermined by an inability to retain possession and a series of handling errors.

Superior up front

Wasps were also far superior up front, with the visitors' scrum largely unable to compete and they came close to extending the lead on the half-hour mark when twice Cipriani saw penalty attempts from inside his own half narrowly fail - the first dropping just short and the second striking an upright.

Things did get worse for Sarries just before the break though when their deficiencies in the pack were highlighted, as referee White penalised them three times at a five-metre scrum before losing his patience and sin-binning prop Richard Skuse.

Cipriani lit up the start of the second half with a searing break from deep before throwing a splendid reverse pass to Sackey, only for the winger to see his ambitious pass drop behind his support runners.

But Wasps did edge further ahead on 45 minutes as Cipriani completed his hat-trick of penalties after another infringement from Sarries.

The visitors did then go on to produce their most sustained period of pressure after that, but fly-half Derrick Hougaard could not turn the dominance into points as he was off target with a couple of attempted drop-goals.

Cipriani left the field after 69 minutes, replaced by Dave Walder, and received a warm reception from the home support.

With their defence standing firm and Saracens increasingly ragged in their efforts to make inroads into the lead, Wasps never looked like relinquishing their advantage.

In the end the better, more organised team claimed the four points as Saracens went through the entire game without earning a single chance of a kick at goal.