DALLAGLIO BOWS OUT ON A WINNING NOTE
Lawrence Dallaglio added one final item of silverware to his glittering 18-year career as he led his beloved London Wasps to a 26–16 victory over old enemy and reigning champions Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership grand final on the hallowed turf of Twickenham.
After a pulsating game, in which momentum swung both ways, the 35-year-old backrow warrior waved a tearful farewell to 81,600 spectators – a world record for club rugby – and collected his sixteenth winners’ medal.
Although he named this final win a career highlight, the No8 wanted to steer attention away from him. “It has been a very special day and I have been very fortunate to have many special days in my career," he said. "But I was always wary that today was about Wasps and playing a game of rugby and a mighty opponent like Leicester and I didn't want to detract from that."
On a stage fitting for one of the finest rugby players in world history to bow out, the two most dominant sides in the English game in the past decade were pitted against each other.
Dallaglio’s team had been as low as tenth in the table, but after losing only twice since October, they looked the team to beat going into the play-offs. And it was the London club who took the early initiative.
They were 10-3 up just after 10 minutes, thanks to flanker Tom Rees’ converted score and a penalty after six minutes by full-back Mark Van Gisbergen. Riki Flutey, more used to playing inside centre, was handed the task of deputising for injured wunderkind Danny Cipriani at fly-half.
The Maori 28-year-old, recently named player of the season by his fellow professionals, assisted by a dominating front eight, soon began to make his touches count. Led by Dallaglio and his superb young backrow colleagues James Haskell and Rees, Wasps tackled, foraged and drove like men possessed.
Before the interval Leicester, skippered by Martin Corry at blindside flanker, became starved of ball and their frustrations began to become costly in the form of Wasps penalties. Three out of three from Van Gisbergen, and a well worked converted try by winger Josh Lewsey took the score to 23-6 at the break.
In the second half Tigers rolled up their sleeves, knowing that the next score was crucial. Their pack – as Dallaglio’s had done in the first half – began to rule the park and Wasps finally buckled under the pressure after 56 minutes. Andy Goode’s cross-field kick was tapped back by Geordan Murphy and, after Lewsey fumbled, touched down by the Premiership’s leading try scorer Tom Varndell.
Fly-half Goode, who laced two penalties in the first half, then missed his first kick of the afternoon with the conversion attempt. Six minutes later scrum-half Harry Ellis got in on the action with a try having broken blind from a scrum to bring the score back to 23-16 and set up an edge-of-the-seat final 15 minutes.
But Goode, who had drop-kicked Tigers into the final, failed again to convert and miscued two further penalties. His missed 10 points turned out to be crucial in what could well be Argentine coach Marcelo Loffreda’s final game.
In response, Van Gisbergen kicked a penalty with eight minutes remaining and Wasps held on for their fourth Premiership title in six years. An emotional Dallaglio, withdrawn to a standing ovation with 13 minutes left on the clock, was quick to praise his team-mates.
The former England captain, who earned 85 international caps and was the only player to feature in every minute of the 2003 World Cup success, said: “I feel this is one of Wasps' greatest achievements and for me it is the only way to finish.
“We were tenth in the table around Christmas time and it's just been a monumental effort by everyone and it's a huge testament to the squad.
“Obviously, when it's your last game, there's a lot of hype which is inevitable. But today wasn't about me, it was a fantastic achievement and it was a fantastic day. I'm very proud.”
Lawrence Dallaglio added one final item of silverware to his glittering 18-year career as he led his beloved London Wasps to a 26–16 victory over old enemy and reigning champions Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership grand final on the hallowed turf of Twickenham.
After a pulsating game, in which momentum swung both ways, the 35-year-old backrow warrior waved a tearful farewell to 81,600 spectators – a world record for club rugby – and collected his sixteenth winners’ medal.
Although he named this final win a career highlight, the No8 wanted to steer attention away from him. “It has been a very special day and I have been very fortunate to have many special days in my career," he said. "But I was always wary that today was about Wasps and playing a game of rugby and a mighty opponent like Leicester and I didn't want to detract from that."
On a stage fitting for one of the finest rugby players in world history to bow out, the two most dominant sides in the English game in the past decade were pitted against each other.
Dallaglio’s team had been as low as tenth in the table, but after losing only twice since October, they looked the team to beat going into the play-offs. And it was the London club who took the early initiative.
They were 10-3 up just after 10 minutes, thanks to flanker Tom Rees’ converted score and a penalty after six minutes by full-back Mark Van Gisbergen. Riki Flutey, more used to playing inside centre, was handed the task of deputising for injured wunderkind Danny Cipriani at fly-half.
The Maori 28-year-old, recently named player of the season by his fellow professionals, assisted by a dominating front eight, soon began to make his touches count. Led by Dallaglio and his superb young backrow colleagues James Haskell and Rees, Wasps tackled, foraged and drove like men possessed.
Before the interval Leicester, skippered by Martin Corry at blindside flanker, became starved of ball and their frustrations began to become costly in the form of Wasps penalties. Three out of three from Van Gisbergen, and a well worked converted try by winger Josh Lewsey took the score to 23-6 at the break.
In the second half Tigers rolled up their sleeves, knowing that the next score was crucial. Their pack – as Dallaglio’s had done in the first half – began to rule the park and Wasps finally buckled under the pressure after 56 minutes. Andy Goode’s cross-field kick was tapped back by Geordan Murphy and, after Lewsey fumbled, touched down by the Premiership’s leading try scorer Tom Varndell.
Fly-half Goode, who laced two penalties in the first half, then missed his first kick of the afternoon with the conversion attempt. Six minutes later scrum-half Harry Ellis got in on the action with a try having broken blind from a scrum to bring the score back to 23-16 and set up an edge-of-the-seat final 15 minutes.
But Goode, who had drop-kicked Tigers into the final, failed again to convert and miscued two further penalties. His missed 10 points turned out to be crucial in what could well be Argentine coach Marcelo Loffreda’s final game.
In response, Van Gisbergen kicked a penalty with eight minutes remaining and Wasps held on for their fourth Premiership title in six years. An emotional Dallaglio, withdrawn to a standing ovation with 13 minutes left on the clock, was quick to praise his team-mates.
The former England captain, who earned 85 international caps and was the only player to feature in every minute of the 2003 World Cup success, said: “I feel this is one of Wasps' greatest achievements and for me it is the only way to finish.
“We were tenth in the table around Christmas time and it's just been a monumental effort by everyone and it's a huge testament to the squad.
“Obviously, when it's your last game, there's a lot of hype which is inevitable. But today wasn't about me, it was a fantastic achievement and it was a fantastic day. I'm very proud.”
Labels: Guinness Premiership, Lawrence Dallaglio, Leicester Tigers, Marcelo Loffreda, Wasps
