Wasps win in vain

Wasps missed out on a Guinness Premiership play-off spot despite signing off their season with a hard-fought 25-21 success at Newcastle.

Bath's triumph over Leeds ensured the Londoners' efforts were in vain at Kingston Park as they missed out on a place in the semi-finals for the second year running.

Defeat meant Newcastle finished in a lowly 10th spot in the table, but there were some encouraging signs in what was Alan Tait's first game in charge.

Rob Webber, Dan Ward-Smith and Paul Sackey - playing his last game for the club before his switch to Toulon - all touched down for Wasps, while Jimmy Gopperth, Grant Shiells and Tim Swinson went over for the hosts who came up just short.

They made the perfect start as Gopperth claimed the opening score with just three minutes on the clock, the fly-half brushing off a weak tackle from Danny Cipriani to finish well before adding the conversion.

It proved a disappointing day all round for Cipriani who was forced off midway through the first half with a thumb injury on what was also his final appearance for the club.

But Wasps shrugged off his loss to quickly haul themselves level, a well-controlled driving maul allowing Webber to burrow over the line - Walder adding the extras against his former club.

The same player then kicked his side into a half-time lead when Falcons centre Tane Tu'ipulotu was penalised for hands in the ruck.

Sin-binned

Wasps, though, were reduced to 14 men in the 48th minute when Webber was sin-binned for a cynical pull-back at the Newcastle support after James Hudson had claimed a Gopperth cross-kick.

They quickly paid the price as lock Swinson offloaded well to send replacement prop Grant Shiells over, Gopperth landing a tricky conversion.

However, the contest turned back in the visitors' favour with the lead lasting just three minutes.

Having charged down an attempted clearance from Gcobani Bobo, Wasps made full use of their attacking platform with Ward-Smith eventually bulldozing his way over to score - Walder kicking the conversion.

That led Newcastle to lay siege to the Wasps line, but they were unable to make their pressure count and were caught with a sucker punch just past the hour.

Joe Simpson used his pace to break down the blindside from the base of a scrum on halfway before releasing Sackey who beat Alex Tait to cap a fine move.

In firm control, Walder put Wasps out of reach with his second penalty and Walder in the 71st minute to close out the win.

But Newcastle kept going and Swinson barged over in the final seconds for a consolation try, converted by replacement Tom Catterick.