A SECOND-half transformation saw Wasps overcome Leeds to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

After a poor first half, the second period was a veritable try-fest as Wasps overpowered Leeds thanks to some timely substitutions.

Raphael Ibanez was the hero when he came on and scored twice, while Simon Shaw who was rested after suffering a bad back was dynamic in the second row and Ayoola Erinle was a brilliant impact replacement, all power and muscle as he tore into Leeds' tiring defence.

It was a far cry from the first half, which mirrored Wasps' three previous games at Leeds. Each time, the game has turned into a turgid scrap, with the first half a kicking fest as both sides looked for territory rather than possession.

Stuart Abbott provided the sole spark for Wasps when he broke through early on. Leeds scrambled back and conceded a penalty, with the metronomic boot of Mark van Gisbergen doing the damage to give Wasps a 3-0 lead.

Roland de Marigny kicked two penalties, van Gisbergen responded and the game drifted to half time with Wasps winning 12-9. But then a moment of inspiration when Jon Dunbar burst through the Wasps line. He was tackled near the line but All Black Justin Marshall released Iain Balshaw to go over for the try.

De Marigny converted and Leeds went into the break 16-12 up, leaving Wasps with a lot of work to do. Director of rugby Ian McGeechan admitted that "words were said at half time" and Wasps clearly took heed as they produced an impressive half of rugby.

Alex King, displaying his customary leadership at fly half, started it off with a clever grubba kick that took the advancing Leeds defence out of the game. Abbott was onto it as quick-as -a-flash, gathered the ball well and then fed Tom Voyce for an excellent try.

It nearly got even better for Wasps five minutes later when Matt Dawson kicked ahead for Paul Sackey. The winger won the race for the ball but was caught just short of the line.

Wasps didn't have to wait too long for their next score though when they won a penalty within kicking range on 62 minutes.

But, instead of kicking the three points, Dawson took a quick tap and ran for the line. There were a series of drives before Dawson broke for the line and Ibanez was on hand to go over. And Ibanez made it two tries in six minutes for his new club when he created the overlap to go over after good work by Erinle and Dawson.

Wasps began searching for the fourth try to give them a bonus point and they thought they'd got it when James Brooks, on for King, caught an attempted kick ahead with his first touch and raced for the line, only to be caught inches short by David Doherty.

No matter, Wasps kept plugging away and another series of drives saw skipper John Hart go over.

Job done, Wasps looked to keep entertaining, while Leeds pressed for another score.

And they grabbed a consolation try on 79 minutes when Stuart Hooper went over after a good rolling maul from a line-out.

Wasps had the last word though and when Erinle broke clear, he passed to van Gisbergen and the full back fed Sackey who had the simplest job of going over to get off the mark in this season's Guinness Premiership.

Van Gisbergen added the conversion to grab a personal haul of 22 points and make it 21 kicks out of 21 so far this season to add strength to his calls for an England call-up.

Wasps: Van Gisbergen, Sackey, Waters (Erinle 57), Abbott, Voyce, King (Brooks 73), M Dawson (Reddan 76), Payne (Bracken 11-19, 76), Gotting (Ibanez 57), J Dawson, Purdy (Shaw 57), Birkett, Hart, O'Connor (Lock 76), Worsley.

Scorers: Tries - Voyce, Ibanez (two), Hart, Sackey; Cons - Van Gisbergen (five); Pens - Van Gisbergen (four).

Attendance: 4,544.

Referee: Martin Fox.

Leeds 23, Wasps 47