Bristol Bears secured their first league win away at Wasps in 22 years with an ugly but efficient 23-8 victory at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday.
Callum Sheedy passed the 1000 point mark for Bristol with an 18-point haul against Wasps, scoring a try, hitting four from four kicks off the tee and landing a late drop goal.
The Bears, buoyed by their opening round victory over Bath, spent the majority of the game without the ball but cruised to a win by simply making fewer errors than a Wasps side devoid of confidence after letting a 21-point lead slip at Gloucester last week.
READ MORE: Wasps Rugby 8-23 Bristol Bears LIVE: Sheedy adds late drop goal as Bears triumph at Wasps
Tom Cruse’s early try was not to be a tone-setter for Lee Blackett’s side as Sheedy’s penalty and his converted score gave Bristol a half-time lead.
Charlie Atkinson kicked a penalty but then missed a straightforward opportunity that would have put Wasps ahead.
From that point on the scoring was all in Bristol’s favour as Sheedy landed another penalty and then Magnus Bradbury scored his second try in as many games after a Charles Piutau break. Sheedy added a drop goal for good measure to ensure the victory and deny Wasps even the hope of a losing bonus point.
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: "It was the first win for us as a group since I arrived at the club, but the first win away against Wasps in the league for the club for 22 years. It was a massive marker for us and certainly a monkey off our back.
""It certainly wasn’t the prettiest game, but at the end of the day five points were on offer and we took four today and we deprived them of points too, so I am really pleased. Our defence and the character of the boys was outstanding, they just worked their way through the adversity."
The encounter had started well for Wasps as they took the lead just five minutes in.
Two members of their all-English back row combined as Jack Willis stomped free and fed Alfie Barbeary. Upon the recycle, Atkinson played a teasing looping pass out in front of veteran hooker Cruse, who finished coolly in the right corner.
Sheedy’s penalty cut Wasps’ lead before the Welsh fly-half finished off a blistering Bristol attack, which saw Rich Lane hauled down inches from the line by Sam Spink. But Harry Randall was in close support to feed his half-back partner before the defence could get set.
The second quarter of the match ensued with no further score added as the Willis brothers produced key turnovers in their own 22 when the Bears were well placed to score.
And Spink spurned a great opportunity when he failed to catch Atkinson’s teasing pass.
England lock Joe Launchbury’s brilliant finish in the corner was ruled out due to an earlier forward pass and Wasps’ misery was compounded when Atkinson skewed a routine penalty wide.
However, Sheedy made no such mistake from a simpler position.
Bristol stretched their lead to 12 entering the final 20 minutes, when two Wasps handling errors saw Bristol go from 22 to 22 before Charles Piutau teased his former employers by offloading to Bradbury, who crossed over the whitewash despite Barbeary’s tackle attempt.
Wasps huffed and puffed in attack but were met by a resolute defensive effort as Bristol showed some of the attributes that saw them finish top of the table only two seasons ago.
As a subdued home crowd headed for the exits, Sheedy landed a nonchalant drop goal to put the result beyond any doubt.
Wasps Rugby: 15. Ali Crossdale, 14. Zach Kibirige, 13. Sam Spink, 12. Burger Odendaal, 11. Josh Bassett, 10. Charlie Atkinson, 9. Will Porter; 1. Robin Hislop, 2. Tom Cruse, 3. John Ryan, 4. Joe Launchbury (C), 5. Kiran McDonald, 6. Tom Willis, 7. Jack Willis, 8. Alfie Barbeary.
Replacements: 16. Dan Frost, 17. Tom West, 18. Biyi Alo, 19. Tim Cardall, 20. Nizaam Carr, 21. Dan Robson, 22. Ryan Mills, 23. Will Haydon-Wood.
Bristol Bears: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Piers O'Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Jack Bates, 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Harry Randall; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Will Capon (60 apps), 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. Joe Joyce, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Sam Jeffries, 7. Jake Heenan (c), 8. Magnus Bradbury
Replacements: 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Max Lahiff, 19. Ed Holmes, 20. Sam Lewis, 21. Andy Uren, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Rich Lane.
Referee: Karl Dickson (63rd Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: George Selwood and James Clarke.
TMO: Rowan Kitt.
Citing Officer: Chris Catling.
