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Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
London Wasps – five points clear at the top of a highly competitive group – can as good as clinch a place in the quarter-finals if they can take maximum points from their contest against bottom club Rugby Mogliano at Adams Park.
Wasps, who were held to a draw at Bayonne, trounced the Italian newcomers 59-12 at Stadio Maurizio Quaggia in Round 2 with second row Joe Launchbury – English rugby’s find of the season – crossing for one of the nine tries.
A similar sort of result in front of the Wasps faithful and the Bayonne contest against the Dragons ending in a regulation win for one or the other would ensure Wasps their place in the last eight.
However, if Wasps can take a maximum 10 points from their final two matches, they finish on the road at Rodney Parade against the Dragons, then that would be good enough to earn them a home tie in the quarter-finals.
Match Facts
- Wasps are unbeaten in four Amlin Challenge Cup matches, winning three and sharing the spoils in the other.
- Mogliano have struggled in their debut European season, their four matches have resulted in an aggregate score of 216-22 against them.
- Nobody has made more clean breaks in the tournament than Christian Wade. The England hopeful has eight to his name in three appearances.
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Mogliano scrum-half Alberto Lucchese has made more passes than any other player in the tournament. He has made 214 in three matches.
Tom Varndell led the London Wasps charge as they marched into the quarter finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup.
The former England winger scored three tries in the opening 13 minutes as they overpowered Italian side Rugby Mogliano at Adam’s Park, registering 11 tries in total.
It took the hosts and Varndell just a minute to claim the first score with fly-half Nicky Robinson adding the extras.
The 27-year-old grabbed his brace after six minutes and collected the hat-trick just seven minutes later to delight of the Adams Park faithful.
Dai Young’s side then wrapped the bonus point up three minutes later with centre Chris Bell touching down.
The visitors finally found their feet in defence but Wasps managed two more tries before the break courtesy of second row James Cannon and wing Jack Wallace.
Wasps came out of the changing room in the same vein of form that saw them start the first period so brightly and Charlie Davies began the second-half scoring spree with the first of his two tries.
Mogliano registered their solitary try through Edoardo Candiago which Enrico Endrizzi converted but Wasps were soon back on top, with hooker Tom Lindsay touching down before Davies’ second.
Marco Wentzel and Andrea Masi completed the rout which sees Wasps progress into the last eight with a game to spare.
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