Irish left reeling by Wasps

Two converted tries in the final 10 minutes swept Wasps back into the Premiership's top three last night, their late win at Loftus Road nudging Saracens down a place to fourth.

Irish, clinging to the narrowest of leads after conceding five Kenny Logan penalties, finally succumbed in the face of a late Wasps onslaught which brought tries for their Samoan hooker Trevor Leota and England's forgotten wing, Paul Sampson.

Wasps, furious at dropping a single-point decision to the Irish at Reading 12 days earlier, ran into early trouble against opponents who had gone without an away Premiership win since beating Harlequins on the opening day of the season.

Barry Everitt struck his first penalty in the third minute, Kenny Logan replying in kind for Wasps before Irish wing Paul Sackey shot down the blindside and beat three defenders to the line to record his fifth try since leaving Bedford last summer.

Wasps responded by unleashing Sampson, reputedly the fastest wing in England, only for his team to continue falling foul of Everitt. Their transgressions allowed the Irish fly half to complete a penalty hat-trick before half-time, his third goal bouncing over off an upright after Bristol referee Steve Leyshon had punished Wasps prop Darren Molloy over a spat with his front row sparring partner, Robin Hardwick.

Logan kept the London club in touch, matching Everitt penalty for penalty before reducing the deficit to four points with his fourth goal early in the second half.

Wasps shrugged off the early second-half loss of fly half Alex King, their forwards taking command with Lawrence Dallaglio setting up the first in a series of rucks which led to Leota's decisive try.