Amlin opener 'Gwent' perfectly for Wasps (From Bucks Free Press)

Famous five for Wasps on European start

3:37pm Monday 15th October 2012 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

WASPS didn’t deliver the 80-minute performance they’ve been after, but they got everything available to them out of their opening fixture in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Four tries in a 38-25 triumph over Dragons earned them all five points ahead of Saturday night’s match in Italy against Rugby Mogliano.

Director of rugby Dai Young said: “We got as much out of it as we could and we can get a bit of confidence from that and build on it.

“They came up here last year and spoiled the party and we knew that it was going to be really difficult.

“But I thought we controlled the game for 80 minutes. We were a little bit messy on occasions and probably could have got that bonus point a little bit earlier than we did.

“But no team is going to roll over, especially a team with the calibre of the Dragons.

“They’re a spirited bunch with great coaches who will always make sure those boys keep on playing.”

Jake Wallace, Fabio Staibano and Billy Vunipola all crosed inside half an hour, but Wasp had to wait until Joe Simpson’s score deep in the second half to turn four points into five.

Young said: “If one or two stray passes had gone to hand or if our accuracy had been a little bit better there were at least another two or three more tries on the table.

“We left two or three opportunities on the pitch that would have made it a much easier win and we probably could have put a bigger distance between the teams.

“But on occasions we showed how powerful we can be when we kept it simple and direct.

“We won the battle of the gain line both in attack and defence and we were always on the front foot.”