Young tells England to keep an eye on Willis
DAI Young claimed Eddie Jones should have picked Jack Willis after the young flanker shone in Wasps’ fine bonus point win at Sixways.
Jones heaped praise on Willis and the rest of his side for a victory which lifted them up the Premiership table into eight place.
Willis, 23, produced the kind of dynamic and skilful performance in diving over for one try and being involved in another which helped put him in the England picture two years ago.
He missed out on a tour to South Africa due to an ACL injury.
Yet, despite not making the frame this time round for the game for France, he is clearly banging on the door again.
Director of rugby Young enthused: “Jack is an international in waiting. Eddie can’t pick everybody obviously because of the quality there is fighting for that position. But Jack is definitely the next cab off the rank. I’m disappointed he’s not there because he deserves to be…but I’m pretty biased! “He was outstanding.
The turnover he got at the end made sure of the win but he was involved all over the pitch throughout.” Willis’ steal at the death, when Warriors were camped on the visitors’ line, helped Wasps celebrate a win which put a smile on Young who has been feeling the pressure.
He said: “The forwards were outstanding in all areas and we scored some fantastic tries.”
TEAMS
WORCESTER: Shillcock 7; Humphreys 6, Lawrence 7, Beck 7, Howe 6; Weir 8, Heaney 7; Waller 7, Moulds (c) 7, Schonert 6 (Palframan 65, 6); Bresler 7 (van Velze 49, 6), Kitchener 7; Mama 6, Lewis 8, du Preez 6
Not used: J Taufete’e, Bower, Dodd, Kitto, Lance, Venter.
WASPS: Minozzi 6 (Miller 63, 6), Kibirige 7, de Jongh 7, Gopperth 7, Bassett 7; Searle 7 (Le Bourgeois 74, 6), Robson (co-c) 8; McIntyre 6 (Harris 74, 6), Taylor 6 (Oghre 41, 6), Brookes 7 (Alo 64, 6); Rowlands 6, Gaskell 6 (Flament 68, 6), Willis 7, Young (co-c) 7, Carr 6 (Vailanu 53, 6)
Not used: Wolstenholme
REFEREE: Craig Maxwell Keys
ATTENDANCE: 8,848
Star man
Dan Robson – Wasps
It was joy for Wasps but disappointment for Duncan Weir who had to make do with just a losing bonus point with Warriors. Flyhalf Weir kicked 16 points and was outstanding yet still Warriors missed out on an opportunity to climb into the top six having led for much of the game.
Weir, 28, is hoping to add to his 27 caps after replacing Finn Russell in the squad for the game with Ireland next weekend.
Weir kicked an early penalty after Wasps lock James Gaskell was guilty of holding onto the ball but it was the visitors who crossed the line first with scrum-half Dan Robson and Billy Searle linking up to put Jimmy Gopperth over.
Weir kicked another penalty after Wasps were offside and Warriors moved the ball quickly from the back of a fourth reset scrum and into the hands of powerful flanker Marco Mama who surged across for a fine try.
Wasps, trailing 13-5 at half-time, came out with more conviction after the break, and their pressure enabled Searle to reduce the gap. Weir replied with a penalty only to see wing Zach Kibirige finish off a fine flowing Wasps move for their second try.
A third was just around the corner as Wasps opened up the hosts again and agile flanker Willis swooped for a fine try converted by Searle, The slim lead did not last long as centre Ollie Lawrence burst though and raced over untouched. Weir added the extras and the hosts led again into the final ten minutes.
Wasps regained the initiative when Kibirige showed searing pace to race through the Worcester defence and feed the ball to the supporting Robson who strolled over for the bonus point try.
Worcester could not muster a response in a nailbiting final few minutes.
Frustrated director of rugby Alan Solomons admitted: “It was a game we should have won. We should have closed the game out at 26-23 and still had an opportunity at the end but could not get it done.”
GRAHAM KITCHENER
Worcester lock
WILL ROWLANDS
Wasps lock
Both second row giants played with real heart, desire and effectiveness with Rowlands just coming out on top in the line-out battle. He made more metres carried too, and was a crucial part of a Wasps jigsaw which finally grasped victory late on. Kitchener lost nothing in defeat with his physical presence always a problem for Wasps.
