Wasps hit by lively Exiles

O'Shea grabbed two tries

London Irish 45 - 24 Wasps

Wasps came back to earth with a jolt after their Tetley's Bitter Cup triumph, losing to an eager London Irish side.

The Loftus Road side fielded just five of the Twickenham team and were always going to find it tough.

Conor O'Shea, fit again after a two-match absence, inspired his side with two tries while kicker Jarrod Cunningham passed the 300-point mark for the season as he accumulated a personal total of 15 points.

The only sour point for Irish on an otherwise satisfying evening was a pitiful crowd of just 2,821.

It did not help either that the match had lost its competitive edge with neither side able to challenge the top of the table.

If pride was the main motivation Irish certainly showed plenty as they raced into a 10-0 lead through prop Mike Worsley.

O'Shea added two further tries before the interval. The first came in the 17th minute after a flowing move and the second arrived in the 30th minute when O'Shea collected a clever chip from Cunningham.

Pride

Wasps hit back with two late tries from lock Mark Weedon and flanker Eben Rollitt.

The second half continued in the same vein, Irish scoring two tries in the first seven minutes.

Second row Nick Harvey drove over after sustained pressure on the Wasps line, and international winger Justin Bishop finished off a glorious 60-yard move. Both tries were converted by Cunningham.

Wasps, on a rare foray into the Irish 22, narrowed the gap when former London Irish centre Rob Henderson scored in the corner. The score was duly converted by Kenny Logan.

The move of the game arrived in the 68th minute. Cunningham cut inside from his wing and jinked past two men before releasing substitute Michael Horak. Horak took the ball at pace and ran 40 yards before diving between the posts.

Wasps scored a consolation try in the 79th minute when Frazer Waters ran in between the posts. Logan converted the try to round off the scoring.