Dallaglio and Wasps survive tough Irish test

Lawrence Dallaglio proved his fitness with one of the hardest tests he could have taken – a gritty, physical Zurich Premiership contest against London Irish at High Wycombe yesterday.

There was no sign of any problem from the shoulder injury he had suffered the previous weekend and he announced himself ready for whatever England had to offer him in the coming week. "I was delighted to be able to play today," said the Wasps captain, as he reflected on his side's four-try victory which cemented their place in the top five and completed a Premiership double over the Exiles. "Now I am just looking forward to reporting fit at the team hotel and taking part in a tough week's training with England."

Josh Lewsey, the Wasps wing, will also be involved in international action this week as he has been called up to the England A squad to play France A at Northampton on Friday as a replacement for Saracens' Kevin Sorrell. And it was he who opened the Wasps account from a superbly worked move off a maul that saw first Dallaglio, then Joe Worsley, opening up gaping holes in the defence.

However, Irish did hit back and even stole into the lead. Barry Everitt landed his only penalty of the afternoon and that was followed up by Paul Sackey's sharply taken try down the blind side at a ruck, after a thoughtful feed by the burly flanker Declan Danaher.

The in-form Alex King, who had an outstanding match at fly-half directing operations with maturity and no little cunning, converted that and, in fact, only missed two place kicks all afternoon, which was quite a contrast with his opposite number Everitt. The Exiles' outside-half had a nightmare with the boot, missing three penalties and the conversion of Irish's solitary try, and eventually having to hand over the kicking duties to Mark Mapletoft.

By then, though, it was far too late. Wasps, who had suffered the blow of losing their scrum-half, Rob Howley, with a hand injury in the morning, had the game by the scruff of the neck and were fairly galloping away. Their full-back Mark van Gisbergen had added to Lewsey's effort with another try on the stroke of half-time and with King doing his bit, they had a good cushion.

Then Dallaglio worked some wonders after a bit of midfield scrapping, made some great ground before handing over to Paul Volley who in turn fed Fraser Waters. With the front five powering around the park it was only a matter of minutes before the burly All Black prop, Craig Dowd, bulldozed over for his fifth try of the season and that all-important bonus point.

Irish were rarely able to compete; they were forever being forced on to the back foot. "We were forced to play catch-up and when you play catch-up teams always look rubbish," Conor O'Shea, the Exiles director of rugby, said.

Warren Gatland, O'Shea's opposite number, was not exactly purring afterwards either. The perfectionist Kiwi growled: "I was pretty disappointed with the way we played. I am happy with the bonus point but we made too many errors." But there is no mistaking which team lies fifth in the table this morning, errors or no errors.

Wasps: Tries Lewsey, van Gisbergen, Waters, Dowd; Conversions King 3; Penalties King 3. London Irish: Try Sackey; Penalty Everitt 2.

Wasps: M van Gisbergen; J Lewsey, F Waters (A Erinle, 19-28 and 75), S Abbott, K Logan (J Rudd, 56); A King, M Wood (H Biljon, 77); C Dowd, T Leota (P Greening, 63), W Green (A Kershaw, 73), S Shaw (M Lock, 73), R Birkett, J Worsley, L Dallaglio (capt); P Scrivener, 73), P Volley.

London Irish: M Mapletoft; P Sackey, N Burrows, B Venter, M Horak; B Everitt, H Martens; M Worsley (N Hatley, 49), R Kirke (A Flavin, 69), S Halford (R Hardwick, 49), B Casey, N Kennedy, P Gustard, C Sheasby, D Danaher.

Referee: P Honiss (New Zealand).