Wasps secure Heineken Cup success

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LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Big-game specialists Wasps produced one of their greatest performances to beat favorites Leicester 25-9 in a momentous clash at Twickenham on Sunday and claim the Heineken Cup for the second time.

Leicester went into the match seeking an unprecedented treble and in hot form after thrashing Gloucester last week to win the Premiership but Wasps, without a game for three weeks, proved an entirely different proposition as they tore into their old rivals with relentless ferocity from first to last.

Wasps led 13-9 at halftime with tries from scrumhalf Eoin Reddan and hooker Raphael Ibanez and in a second half of growing intensity, drove it home via the boot of flyhalf Alex King.

"We defended like our lives depended on it and I think we deserved it," said Wasps captain Lawrence Dallaglio.

The 81,076 Twickenham crowd was a record for a club rugby match and they were treated to a classic in the first all-English final of Europe's premier club competition.

Wasps answered the "rest or rust" question immediately as, after three weeks without a match, they came out all guns blazing.

Center Josh Lewsey made a statement of intent with a thunderous hit on stand-in scrumhalf Frank Murphy and powerful back row work earned the first points with a King penalty after five minutes.

Leicester levelled with an Andy Goode penalty but Wasps claimed the opening try when Reddan caught Leicester napping as Ibanez found him at the front of a lineout and he sprinted unmolested to the line.

Leicester, packed with experienced internationals, failed to learn their lesson though as Ibanez repeated the trick late in the half then took the return from Simon Shaw to plunge over the line himself.

A Goode penalty and four missed goalkicks by King enabled Leicester to reach halftime 13-9 down but they had to find a way to turn things round during the break.

They were unable to do that, however, as Wasps came out just as fired up and just as aggressive in the tackle with Dallaglio a constant physical and vocal presence until his 50th minute replacement by James Haskell.

Leicester, clearly rattled, conceded two penalties which King slotted, before adding a drop goal for a 22-9 lead.

Leicester, seeking their third Heineken Cup in coach Pat Howard's last game in charge, finally got themselves organized but Wasps showed all their determination at a series of scrums and rucks close to their line and when they came up with the ball after another terrific turnover their fans began to believe it was their day.

Haskell then stole the ball, sprinted 80 meters to earn the eventual penalty that King slotted for the all-important 16-point advantage.

Wasps, who produced a similar upset to thump Leicester in the Premiership final on the same ground two years ago, were able to cruise home to secure their second Heineken Cup on the same ground where they won their first, also against the odds, three years ago.

"Everyone was talking about the Leicester guys but we have won the last eight finals we've played in," Dallaglio said.

Howard, who now returns to Australia nine years after joining Leicester as a player, said: "To win the treble is a very hard thing, you have to turn up a lot of times and today was the first time we haven't."

Captain Martin Corry agreed that the better team won. "We didn't have a good day today but looking back we've had a tremendous season and I'm hugely proud of everyone associated with the club," he said.

Heineken future assured

Meanwhile, the future of the Heineken Cup now seems secure after organizers announced that they had come to an agreement with French and England clubs.

French clubs said last month they would be boycotting the event next season for strategic and financial reasons and were joined later by the English.

But on Sunday, European Rugby Cup chairman Jean-Pierre Lux confirmed the leading English and French clubs would take part next season in the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup, alongside teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.

Lux said in a statement: "I would like to thank all of ERC's stakeholders who have been involved in the discussions and I am delighted to be able to confirm the future of both tournaments on the day of the 12th Heineken Cup final.

"ERC's stakeholders will meet shortly to finalise the agreement that will secure the long term future of both tournaments."

The announcement came just 40 minutes before the kickoff of this season's final and seemed to bring to an end the latest in a long line of internal disputes that have accompanied the sport since it went professional 12 years ago.

The Heineken Cup dispute was based on frustration at the Rugby Football Union's (RFU) controlling stake in the English aspect of the tournament, despite having no direct involvement.

French concerns over fixture congestion in World Cup year added weight to their call for a another boycott -- English sides stayed out in its early years -- and the RFU said at one stage it would enter second division teams if it had to.

However, a series of talks involving the RFU and Premier Rugby, the clubs' representative body, eased tension. A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday to finalise details of the latest agreement, though neither the RFU nor Premier Rugby has yet responded to the ERC announcement.

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