Wasps 19

London Irish 38

Wasps have suffered an indifferent season, but Sunday's appalling display against London Irish at Loftus Road completed the transformation from championship thoroughbreds to relegation-haunted donkeys.

Gone is the teamwork and organisation that made them formidable opposition. Also missing is the inventiveness and flexibility of thought that enabled them to expose the weaknesses of the opposition.

Indeed very little thinking appeared to be going on at all from Wasps in this game. Basic skills have also sunk to an alarming standard with elementary handling and passing errors that might be tolerated early season, but are simply not acceptable at this level of rugby.

The leadership of Lawrence Dallaglio was also conspicuous by its absence on Sunday - everyone is entitled to an off-day, but it seems that the off-the-field wranglings betweeen club and country where Dallaglio has often been under intolerable pressure may finally be affecting him.

None of this should detract from the spirited performance of London Irish. But Wasps were totally without bite and in the end reduced to something approaching a shapeless rabble.

Irish came determined to erase the memory of their Tetley Bitter Cup defeat two weeks previously at Sunbury. Fierce tackling and committed driving by the forwards had Wasps on the back foot.

Early penalties were exchanged between Niall Woods and Gareth Rees. Then Wasps were presented with a golden opportunity to make headway after refereee Chris White banished Irish fly-half David Humphreys to the sin-bin for three deliberate offsides.

London Irish doubled their efforts and were rewarded when Conor O'Shea exposed the frailties of Wasps' defence, running straight through full-back Kenny Logan for a try, converted by Woods.

Rees and Woods were on the mark again, leaving Irish ahead 19-9 at half-time. Wasps' supporters were praying for some improvement, but the situation worsened dramatically as soon as the action resumed.

Shane Rosier, having marked a high kick deep in his 22, inexplicably knocked on while trying to take a kick quickly and the scrum led directly to a try in the corner by Irish prop Ian McLaughlin.

Soon after, Issac Feaunati capped a towering performance by crossing in the same spot.

Wasps scraped a try through Will Green, then Simon Shaw, one of the few Wasps to emerge with credit, grabbed another.

However, Humphreys had already notched a fourth try for London Irish to complete the humiliation of Wasps, consigned to their heaviest home league defeat since moving to Loftus Road at the start of last season.

Wasps have no match this week. Their next assignment is the Tetley Bitter Cup semi-final with Sale at Loftus Road on Saturday, March 28,

Vast improvement must be found from somewhere or talk of a trip to Twickenham for the final will be pie in the sky.

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