London Irish 16-24 Wasps: Wasps leave it late to kill off Irish
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 05/03/18 10:48am
Tom Cruse's 76th-minute charge-down try sealed a nervy 24-16 home win for Wasps over London Irish.
Wasps claimed three tries to the visitors' two, but were pushed all the way by a spirited second-half display.
Dai Young's team are now unbeaten in their most recent four-match block of Premiership action, and have climbed above Newcastle and Saracens into second place with five rounds remaining.
After Irish's Greig Tonks was wide with a 40-metre penalty attempt, the visitors lost hooker David Paice to the sin-bin for an obstruction on Guy Thompson.
The home side took full advantage of their temporary numerical superiority to drive Cruse over from a close-range line-out.
Danny Cipriani added the conversion but the wet conditions were troubling both sides, and home full-back Willie Le Roux found himself on the receiving end of an aerial bombardment, which he dealt with flawlessly.
Tonks missed with another long-range penalty after the hosts were penalised for dissent, before Wasps worked Thomas Young clear but he was unable to play in Christian Wade on his left shoulder.
Nine minutes after the restart Wade was involved again after lining with Le Roux and the winger was held by the visitors scramble defence a metre short, but scrum-half Dan Robson dived over and Cipriani converted.
Irish got on the board late in the third quarter when replacement Tommy Bell kicked a penalty and James Marshall exploited a turnover to break 50 metres and set in motion a move that ended with Dave Porecki crossing for a try.
Cipriani and Bell then traded penalties before Petrus Du Plessis crossed from a line-out to reduce the lead to the minimum with five minutes left on the clock before Cruse arrived late to clinch the win.