Rugby Football Union - London Wasps retain title

London Wasps retain title

by Julia Hutton


	London Wasps Celebrate the Zurich Championship photo by Getty

29 May 2004
Bath Rugby 6 London Wasps 10

London Wasps were crowned Zurich Premiership champions for the second year in succession after a thrilling end of season showdown against Bath at Twickenham.

Wasps, also newly crowned Heineken Cup champions after defeating Toulouse a week ago at England rugby's HQ, completed the domestic and European double thanks to a 64th minute Stuart Abbott try leaving Bath, who finished top of the league table by one point, still without any silverware in eight years.

The two sides had been neck and neck throughout the clash though the first-half score-line of 3-0 hardly reflected the intensity of the Zurich Premiership Final. It was in fact a thrilling and feisty first 40 minutes with Bath dominating though they were helped by Wasps' Trevor Leota, who severely fumbled his line-outs.

Wasps were also denied two tries - the first after World Cup winner Joe Worsley sent a forward pass to a charging Fraser Waters and the second when Worsley was penalised for knocking on after setting scrum-half Rob Howley free.

Australian fly-half Chris Malone kicked the only score of the first-half with a seventh minute penalty and Mike Catt, playing his last game for Bath before joining London Irish next season, had a go at a long range drop goal but was unlucky when it went wide leaving the game for either side to take after the break.

It was Wasps who took the initiative after the restart. Fly-half Alex King put Wasps level after just 54 seconds with a drop goal though the Londoners again paid the price for another unsuccessful line-out soon after. Leota's ball this time went straight into the hands of flanker Michael Lipman, who set-up a perfectly positioned Martyn Wood to slot home a 49th minute drop goal.

But Wasps were given the lift they needed when Paul Volley made a crunching tackle on Malone, who was ready to set Bath's backs loose after a line-out. Malone was left floored while winger Tom Voyce turned over the ball to set-up a pouncing Stuart Abbott who was not going to be caught by anyone as he charged for the line. Fullback Mark Van Gisbergen kicked the conversion to put Wasps into a 10-6 lead for the first time with 16 minutes left ticking on the clock.

Determined Bath, however, refused to give up and threw everything they had at Wasps. Their golden opportunity came when Volley was penalised for hands in a ruck and Chris Malone decided to kick for touch. With a 20 metre attacking line-out, Bath barraged Wasps' defence but they could not break them down.

The west country side were then handed another opportunity when Malone executed a perfect kick into touch which produced a five metre attacking line-out but again Wasps held Bath out and clung on to their lead to clinch the victory.

Triumphant London Wasps coach Warren Gatland said: "I looked at both teams as they came back into the changing rooms at half-time and our guys came off running. The Bath players looked like they were struggling. We played some outstanding rugby in the second-half."

Captain Lawrence Dallaglio added: "We knew this would be a tough and close game because all the games we have played against Bath have been this season. We were under no illusions and in fact this game was tougher than playing Toulouse in the Heineken Cup Final a week ago.

Bath's head coach John Connolly said: "We have no complaints. We fought bravely and took them on in a very intense test rugby game and it came down to one mistake.

"We have not played for three weeks and that takes the edge off our fitness and the edge in time. It was a test match battle."