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London Wasps welcome back one of the most prolific try scorers in European rugby history with the return from injury of Tom Varndell. - 14/12/2013 10:08
London Wasps welcome back one of the most prolific try scorers in European rugby history with the return from injury of Tom Varndell.
The former England wing has scored 32 tries in 38 appearances in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup and has touched down 16 times in 15 appearances in the Challenge Cup.
Varndell hasn’t played in Europe since scoring two tries in the quarter-final defeat by Leinster. Other chnges in the Wasps back division see Ben Jacobs replace Chris Bell at centre and Jack Moates comes in at scrum-half in place of the injured Joe Simpson.
England lock Joe Launchbury is one notable absentee from the home side, but having beaten Grenoble 47-7 in France last weekend with seven tries Dai Young will be reasonably confident his team will be able to continue their perfect start in Pool 4 and take a giant stride towards quarter-final qualification once again.
Wasps start round four with a four point cushiokn at the top of the table over Bayonne, who they meet at Stade Jean Dauger in Round 5 in the new year.
Match Facts
- Grenoble have won their last two away games against English opposition in the Amlin Challenge Cup (Leeds Carnegie and London Welsh).
- London Wasps are the leading points (163) and try (23) scorers after three rounds of action.
- Guy Thompson tops the try scoring charts after Round 3 – he is the only player to score five tries so far.
- Wasps have won all 12 of their pool stage games at home in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Le FCG est définitivement éliminé de la course aux quarts de finale après son nouveau revers face aux Wasps
London Wasps moved a giant step closer to quarter-final qualification as Pool 4 winners – but Grenoble gave Director of Rugby Dai Young some second half scares along the way.
Wasps join Bath Rugby as the only two teams still able to boast four from four at the end of the back-to-back rounds and will relish the challenges in the New Year, at Bayonne and home to Rugby Viadana.
And, having triumphed 90-17 at Viadana in Round 1, Wasps’ trip to Bayonne in Round 5 on the second weekend of January could be the decisive encounter in this group.
Wasps, the 2003 tournament champions and 2004 and 2007 Heineken Cup winners, have qualified for the knock-out stages for the past three Amlin Challenge Cup tournaments and again have their quarter-final destiny in their own hands as they have racked up 18 points, three more than Bayonne.
They scored seven tries in their 47-7 Round 3 win over Grenoble at Stade Lesdiguieres but the French side put up far stiffer resistance this time and restricted them to just a try in each half while scoring two of their own after the break.
Joe Carlisle – who ended up with 19 points from the boot – gave Wasps an early advantage with two successful penalty goals in the opening quarter before England international flanker James Haskell crossed for the only try of the half.
Carlisle added the extra points along with a third penalty goal but Nicolas Bezy missed a second penalty chance for the visitors minutes before the break.
And Grenoble opened their account with the ball in hand, Ratu Alipate Ratini going over four minutes after the restart to remind Wasps they had another half to negotiate.
Bezy converted – but then missed a third penalty opportunity and chance to trim Wasps’ reduced nine-point advantage – before Elliott Daly extended the lead back to double figures with a penalty goal.
That was shortlived, however, Ratini collecting his second try but Bezy again misfiring with the boot and Carlisle is twice back in the penalty groove for Wasps.
Tom Varndell got a second try for Wasps with 14 minutes left on the clock but the game petered out with the result well and truly decided.
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