European victory for Wasps

Heineken Cup final/Leicester 9-25 Wasps: Wasps wrecked Leicester's treble dreams to be crowned European champions for the second…

Heineken Cup final/Leicester 9-25 Wasps:Wasps wrecked Leicester's treble dreams to be crowned European champions for the second time as they ran out 25-9 victors at Twickenham.

Wasps stung Leicester with first-half tries for Eoin Reddan and Raphael Ibanez after two cleverly-worked line-outs to cap a ferocious performance.

The Tigers, the EDF Energy Cup winners and Guinness Premiership champions, were rattled in the face of Wasps' defensive power and dominance at the breakdown.

And fly-half Alex King, having landed just one kick from his first five attempts, finished with 15 points as he booted Wasps to a famous victory.

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Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio said: "Everyone was talking about the Leicester guys but when you're underdogs it pumps you up.

"We knew if we put Leicester under pressure, then it would be a tough game and everything worked really well.

"Everyone, to a man, was outstanding - Leicester are a great team and we feel very proud to have beaten them on the greatest stage of all."

Leicester coach Pat Howard suffered an unhappy send-off in his last match in charge.

But despite the loss, he insisted he could be proud of what has been an outstanding season.

"Wasps deserved their victory. We weren't allowed to play and we lost as a result.," he said.

"It was always possible, they are a very physical side and that's where they won it today.

"There were two well-taken tries but we had opportunities and didn't take them.

"I know we were good enough to win it but we didn't play well enough. To do the treble is an amazingly hard thing. You have to turn up a lot of times and this is the first time we haven't.

"It's been pretty special this year, but we've let ourselves down today. I'll be down for an hour or so then I'm going to celebrate our two wins."

Captain Martin Corry echoed Howard's sentiments.

"The first half hour was the key. Hats off to them, they were better than us. We set ourselves high standards," he said.

"But when I look back I'm hugely proud - of wearing the shirt and of everyone representing the side, from the top man down to the bottom.

"It's a season to be proud of."