Bath too Butch for Cipriani's sting
Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:46
Bath's Bok halfbacks: Michael Claassens and Butch James
With their South African contingent in full cry Bath moved to the top of the Guinness Premiership table, thanks to a bonus-point 27-23 victory in a see-saw battle against defending champions London Wasps at Adams Park on Wednesday.
Steve Meehan's men took an early 12-0 lead through tries from Springbok scrumhalf Michael Claassens and England prop Matt Stevens.
Danny Cipriani, who played 51 minutes on his comeback for Wasps, landed three penalties and converted a Riki Flutey try to give the home team a 16-12 lead at half-time.
Bath hit back through another South African, hooker Pieter Dixon's try and a penalty by World Cup-winning Bok flyhalf Butch James.
Although Tom Rees put Wasps back in front, Joe Maddock went over to send Bath to the summit after Sale lost at London Irish.
Having now slumped to a fourth defeat in five Guinness Premiership matches - their only success a sneaky win over arch rivals Leicester Tigers - it appears Wasps' reputation is fast fading and the aura gone.
Cipriani came through his return to professional rugby unscathed, the defending champions, Wasps, did not.
The 20-year-old flyhalf, who was plunged straight into the starting line-up as he returned six weeks ahead of schedule from his ankle injury, was withdrawn after 51 minutes. In that time he overcame a shaky start in which Bath capitalised on his failure to collect a high kick to score their opening try.
Cipriani, who was playing against the same opponents and on the same ground where he sustained his injury, landed three penalties and converted Riki Flutey's first-half try as Wasps overcame an early 12-point deficit to lead 16-12 at half-time.
The original forecast that the youngster would not return until November resulted in England manager Martin Johnson omitting him from the 32-man elite squad from which he is allowed to select for the autumn internationals.
But that door is now open again after Jonny Wilkinson dislocated his right knee playing for Newcastle in Tuesday's 23-39 defeat at Gloucester.
Cipriani proved there are no question marks over his fitness but he clearly needs a few more matches to re-establish his England credentials.
All eyes may have been on Cipriani, but the performance of the match came from Bath's rampaging South African-born England prop Matt Stevens.
He scored one try and set up two others for the other South Africans in the team - scrumhalf Michael Claassens and hooker Pieter Dixon - in the first half with his surging runs through the middle before the visitors secured their four-try bonus point when right wing Joe Maddock crossed in the 60th minute.
Maddock's try, converted from the touchline by South African World Cup winner Butch James after the wing burst over in the right-hand corner, proved decisive.
It came a minute after Wasps had taken the lead for the second time, going 23-20 up as their pack drove flank Tom Rees over near the right corner flag, with Cipriani's replacement Jeremy Staunton adding the points with a difficult touchline conversion.
It was scant consolation for Staunton, who could consider himself unlucky to make way for Cipriani after his immaculate kicking display contributed 23 points to Wasps' 28-19 victory at Leicester last Friday, which ended their three-match losing start to the season.
A losing bonus point was little consolation for the struggling champions, whose defensive frailties once again contributed to their downfall.
They had little answer to the power of the hugely impressive Stevens, who wreaked havoc as he exploited the big gaps Wasps left down the middle.
The scorers:
For London Wasps:
Tries: Flutey, Rees
Cons: Cipriani, Staunton
Pens: Cipriani 3
For Bath:
Tries: Claassens,
Stevens, Dixon, Maddock
Cons: James 2
Pen: James
The teams:
London Wasps: 15 Tom Voyce, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Riki Flutey, 12 Dominic Waldouck, 11 Josh Lewsey, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 John Hart, 7 Tom Rees, 6 Joe Worsley, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Phil Vickery, 2 Raphael Ibanez (captain), 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Tom French, 18 Richard Birkett, 19 James Haskell, 20 Rob Hoadley, 21 Mark Robinson, 22 Jeremy Staunton.
Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Joe Maddock, 13 Alex Crockett, 12 Shaun Berne, 11 Jack Cuthbert, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Jonny Faamatuainu, 7 Michael Lipman (captain), 6 Stuart Hooper, 5 Peter Short, 4 Justin Harrison, 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 David Barnes.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Duncan Bell, 18 Josh Ovens, 19 James Scaysbrook, 20 Scott Bemand, 21
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 22 Andrew Higgins.
Referee: Sean Davey
