European Cup/Wasps 40 Llanelli Scarlets 7:Wasps got their cup campaign back on track yesterday but if they are to maintain their defence of the trophy they will have to beat Munster next Saturday. Yesterday's routine victory over a depleted Scarlets was no sort of rehearsal for the frenzied atmosphere Limerick will serve up but there is no better side at confronting the demands of a threatening occasion than Wasps.
The fact it is potentially the final Heineken European Cup appearance of their captain Lawrence Dallaglio will ensure that Wasps, unlike other English teams who have visited Thomond Park, will not take to the field on the back foot.
Before Leicester silenced the Munster fans 12 months ago, English sides had on nine occasions returned from Munster with a defeat to reflect on, including Wasps, whose first away defeat in the European Cup came at Thomond Park 11 years ago, 49-22.
The pool is a three-way tussle between Wasps, Munster and Clermont Auvergne, none of whom have yet lost at home. Wasps' satisfaction at yesterday's six-try romp was tempered by the hamstring injury suffered by the centre Riki Flutey, which is likely to keep the New Zealander out of action for the next month.
Flutey sustained the injury supporting a break by Danny Cipriani in the Scarlets' 25, stretching his right leg after being ankle-tapped.
"We do not know the exact nature of the problem, but it is his hamstring and it does not look good," said the Wasps' director of rugby, Ian McGeechan.
Experience counts for everything at Thomond Park.
"The greatest test for any player in this competition is to perform away," said Dallaglio. "It is easy to play at home: it is only when you are on unfamiliar territory that you come under real pressure and that is the challenge we face on Saturday.
"I always felt this pool would go down to the wire and it is a shame . . . that two good teams are likely to be eliminated while weaker pools provide the two best runners-up."
Wasps have a core of battle-hardened forwards in Dallaglio, Phil Vickery, Raphaël Ibañez and Simon Shaw to leave them unfazed by whatever is thrown at them at Thomond Park, while the younger backrowers Tom Rees and James Haskell are becoming players of stature.
The Wales coach, Warren Gatland, was watching from a hospitality box, not so much checking on a Scarlets team containing few players of interest to him ahead of today's announcement of the squad for this year's Six Nations but to finalise the deal that will see the Wasps' head coach, Shaun Edwards, join Gatland's management team part-time.
Wasps' six tries were all well crafted from the opener scored by Fraser Waters after the quick reactions of Eoin Reddan and the mini-scrum from a close-range ruck that drove Vickery over the line to the improvised kick by Flutey that set up David Doherty and the overhead pass from Dallaglio that led to a try for Rob Hoadley.
Wasps had secured the bonus point they coveted before the half-time whistle and they spent virtually the entire second period in their opponents' half. A lot of their motivation had been spent and replacements flooded the field to spare legs for Thomond Park.
WASPS: Doherty; Sackey, Waters, Flutey (Hoadley, 49 mins), Waldouck; Cipriani (Hart, 66 mins), Reddan (McMillan, 56 mins); Payne, Ibañez (Ward, 63 mins), Vickery (French, 63 mins); Shaw (Birkett, 56 mins), Skivington (Palmer, 63 mins); Haskell, Rees, Dallaglio (capt).
LLANELLI SCARLETS: C Thomas; Daniel (Garan Evans, 73 mins), Watkins, Gavin Evans (J Davies, half-time), M Jones; Priestland, L Davies (Cattle, 53 mins); I Thomas, Hayter (George, half-time), Manu (Douglas, 65 mins), Eustace (Day, 65 mins), MacLeod, D Jones (Bater, 66 mins), Easterby (capt), N Thomas.Sinbinned: Daniel (61 mins).
Referee: C Berdos (France).
