Rudd propels Wasps to clear advantage

England have more wings than they know what to do with – Cohen, Simpson-Daniel, Luger, Christophers, Garvey, Healey, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all – so John Rudd of Wasps, 21, and barely known outside his own dressing room, has probably resigned himself to playing a long game.

It may not be too long a game, though. Rudd knocked the very superior rugby citizens of Paris flat on their rear ends yesterday with a game-busting try that may, just may, take his club into the last four of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup, from where they would stand every chance of winning the tournament.

He and his colleagues have a bit to do yet, as a 13-point advantage from the first leg of a double-header would do very nicely at virtually any union venue in Europe, but Stade Jean Bouin is nobody's idea of just any venue. Without stretching the point, there is nowhere quite like it. Stade Français, wonderfully skilled even in defeat, believe they have their name on this particular piece of silverware, and if they catch fire in more familiar surroundings on Saturday, they could wipe out the deficit in a nanosecond.

For all that, Wasps did themselves a power of good by outscoring a class act by four tries to one. Of that quartet of scores, Rudd's was the pick by a distance. Rob Howley, who crawled all over the influential Stade Français captain, Fabien Galthie, in a fascinating game within a game, made the initial running before Rudd, 17st and punching every ounce of his weight, set sail down the right touchline. Stephane Glas, a seasoned international centre who has stopped a tank or two in his time, could not hold him; indeed, never looked like holding him. It would be difficult to imagine a more decisive statement from a new voice in the sport.

"Rudd is quick, big and strong, and he's being picked on merit," said Warren Gatland, the Wasps coach. "We're working on his skills; he dropped a couple of high ones at Gloucester recently, and he tends to run across the pitch a little. But when he hits the right line, he's pretty dynamic. He's as fast as anyone in this squad over 20 metres, and with his weight, that counts for something."

Wasps badly needed something out of the blue as the second half began, for Stade had looked as dangerous as ever in the opening 40 and, but for a distinctly dodgy try from Stuart Abbott four minutes before the break, when the centre was so far offside he was practically in France, would have turned round slightly ahead.

Rudd's contribution within a minute of the resumption hit the spot perfectly, and when Lawrence Dallaglio claimed a third try from a driving maul after Brian Liebenberg had been sent to the sin-bin, the die was cast.

Liebenberg did not enjoy a profitable afternoon, as not content with leaving his side short on the personnel front, he also muffed up two scoring passes. Stade scrummaged strongly and made their presence felt in the loose, where Christophe Moni and Remy Martin ruled the roost. But the all-important link between Galthie and Diego Dominguez did not operate as smoothly as the Parisians have come to expect and as a result, Christophe Dominici and Thomas Lombard rarely threatened in open field. Only Ignacio Corleto made an impact in the broad acres, and by the end, Dominguez was aiming for the sticks at every opportunity in an effort to keep the arrears to manageable proportions.

Wasps: Tries: Abbott, Rudd, Dallaglio, Waters; Conversions King 3; Penalties King 2, Logan. Stade Français: Try Corleto; Conversion Dominguez; Penalties Dominguez 4; Drop goal Dominguez.

Wasps: M Van Gisbergen; J Rudd, F Waters, S Abbott (M Denney, 76), K Logan; A King, R Howley (M Wood, 68); C Dowd (A Kershaw, 76), T Leota (P Greening, 68), W Green, S Shaw, R Birkett (J Beardshaw, 76), J Worsley, P Volley, L Dallaglio (capt; P Scrivener, 69).

Stade Français: I Corleto; C Dominici, S Glas, B Liebenberg, T Lombard; D Dominguez, F Galthie (capt); L Emmanuelli (P Lemoine, 68), B August, P De Villiers, D Auradou, M James, C Moni, R Martin, P Rabadan (P Tabacco, 60).

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).