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Wasps 'gutted' as ex-England prospect helps boot them out of Europe

By PA
Charlie Atkinson of Wasps is tackled by Sebastien Taofifenua (R) and Leo Berdeu during the ECPR Challenge Cup Semi Final match between Lyon and Wasps at Matmut Stadium on May 14, 2022 in Lyon, France. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Lee Blackett insists Wasps’ wastefulness in the Lyon 22 cost them a place in what would have been their first European final since 2007.

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Wasps held a five-point half-time lead at the Matmut Stadium but were overpowered after the interval with Lyon running out 20-18 winners to reach the European Challenge Cup final.

Wasps head coach Blackett believes this was a missed opportunity for his side.

“We are pretty gutted about it,” said Blackett.

“We feel as if we controlled large parts of the game, and it came down to key moments. What would have won the game for us was better conversion rates within their 22.

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      “I thought we controlled field position but did not take our opportunities. We also did not win the aerial game so that would be the two things.

      “We put so much into it, controlled large parts of the game, and unfortunately, we’ve fallen on the wrong side of key moments. When the game breaks up they (Lyon) are up there with the very best sides in Europe.

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      “The players are pretty gutted. It’s going to be hard to get back up for next week, but we’ve got to make sure we don’t let this derail our season.”

      Leo Berdeu contributed 15 points for Lyon including a try, while Yanis Charcosset also touched down to send the French club into their first final in any competition since 1933.

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      Wasps scored two tries of their own courtesy of Dan Robson and Jimmy Gopperth, who also kicked eight points.

      Wasps held an 8-3 lead at half-time with Robson scoring the only try.

      But Lyon’s pack went up a few gears in the second half with tries from Berdeu and Charcosset sealing the victory.

      Gopperth did score a late try, but it was a case of too little too late for Wasps.

      Former England Under-20s and Saracens lock Joel Kpoku was named player of the match, and he is confident Lyon can win their first European silverware in two weeks’ time when they face the winner of Toulon against Saracens in the final at Marseille.

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      “This is only the start and there’s much more to come from this group,” said the 22-year-old.

      “We’ve been chasing this for a long time, and thankfully we were able to come out on top against a great Wasps side who really tested us from minute one to 80.

      “I can’t wait until the final. It’s a great feeling.

      “To finally be in a final is so surreal, but there’s one more game to come and hopefully we can get a win there as well.

      “We knew what we needed to do, and it was about believing in ourselves, and keeping our discipline to stop them getting into the game.”

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      J
      JW 12 minutes ago
      Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

      Nice, that’s good to hear, I was worried for the tackler and it increasing concussions overall.


      My question is still the same, and the important one though. Where the rate of concussions in Fed 2 high? Of course if there where only three concussions, and they were reduced now to one, then there is no need for the new laws etc.


      There are two angles to this discussion, mine above about player welfare, and of course the that which you raise, legal responsibility. More, the legal responsibility we are concerned with is what’s happening now.


      WR don’t really know much about CTE I wouldn’t think, whether it happens from innocuous things like heading a ball, or from small knocks or big knocks that don’t heal. Right now they are ensuring the backside is clean by implementing laws to rule out any possibility they didn’t do enough. So once they understand the problem more they may realise some things are overboard.


      The other legal responsibility is the one you are talking about in France, the past. Did the LNR and WR know about the severity and frequency of CTE in rugby? That is the question in that debate. If they didn’t know then theres nothing they could have done, so there is no worry. Further, what we may have now is a situation where 90% of those court actions might not happen in future thanks to the new framework we already have around HIA and head contact processes. Your English example is only going to be an issue if future players still continue to receive CTE (as that is obviously bad), as it is now, the players have taken on their own responsibility by ignore advice. No doubt some countries, like France and New Zealand, will lower their tackle height, but as long as the union has done an adequate job in advising of the severity of the problem at least the legal shadow over the community game will have gone.

      227 Go to comments
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