REPORT: Bristol Rugby 21-36 Wasps

Jason Woodward’s try had given the hosts an early lead, but Wasps hit back with 36 unanswered points as tries from Josh Bassett (2), Tommy Taylor, Joe Simpson, Christian Wade and Thomas Young completed a comfortable win for Dai Young’s men.

Jack O’Connell and Nick Fenton-Wells crossed late on for Bristol, but it proved little more than a consolation as they slipped to a 17^th league defeat of the season.

Woodward granted Bristol the perfect start when he intercepted Guy Thompson's attempted offload and sprinted in from 60 metres to give the hosts a third minute lead.

The Kiwi came close to repeating the feat minutes later when he scooped up another loose ball before being hauled down by the covering Le Roux.

Ryan Edwards was then adjudged in touch after hacking on the Woodward’s kick through and winning the race in-goal as Mark Tainton’s side made a bright start to a breathless opening quarter.

Wasps responded with a quick-fire double, as Josh Bassett latched on to Beale’s expert offload to stretch over and Tommy Taylor dabbed down at the back of a maul.

Gopperth converted both and then a third, when Beale scampered through a weak tackle in midfield to feed Joe Simpson for a Wasps’ third and a 21-7 half time lead.

Bristol came close to striking first after the interval when Woodward’s round-the-back offload freed up space for Edwards, who was scythed down five metres short.

But Wasps put the match to bed with three tries in ten minutes as they wrapped up the bonus-point before the hour mark. First, Wade took advantage of a defensive error to coast in from 25 metres and minutes later, Matt Symons’ break was rounded off by replacement Thomas Young.

Alapati Leiua, who will wear the blue and white hoops next season, fed Bassett for Wasps’ sixth on 62 minutes as the league leaders continued to exert their dominance at Ashton Gate.

The hosts finished with a flourish courtesy of late tries from Jack O’Connell and Nick Fenton-Wells, with the latter applying the finishing touches to a length-of-the-field move started by Ryan Edwards.

But it was nothing more than a consolation for Bristol, who are now guaranteed to finish bottom of the Aviva Premiership table.

After a positive start to the match had seen Bristol take a third minute lead courtesy of Jason Woodward's try, Wasps' quick-fire double - from Bassett and Taylor - saw a huge shift in momentum from which the home side never recovered.

Edwards signed a contract extension during the week and followed that up with an impressive display at Ashton Gate. The wing was at his dangerous best with ball in hand and played a big part in the length-of-the-field move that set up Nick Fenton-Wells' 78th minute try. 

Bristol Rugby: Jason Woodward; Ryan Edwards, Will Hurrell, Gavin Henson (Pisi 58), Jack Tovey (Amesbury 58); Billy Searle, Alby Mathewson (Williams 52); Ryan Bevington (O’Connell 50), Marc Jones (c) (Crumpton 58), Gaston Cortes (Ford-Robinson 40), James Phillips (Robinson 52), Mark Sorenson (Glynn 52), Sam Jeffries, Nick Fenton-Wells, Mitch Eadie.

Replacements: Max Crumpton, Jack O’Connell, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Ben Glynn, Olly Robinson, Rhodri Williams, Tusi Pisi, Charlie Amesbury.

Wasps: Willie Le Roux; Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Kurtley Beale, Josh Bassett; Jimmy Gopperth, Joe Simpson; Matt Mullan, Tommy Taylor, Phil Swainston, Joe Launchbury (c), Matt Symons, James Haskell, Guy Thompson, Nathan Hughes.

Replacements: Tom Cruse, Tom Bristow, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Kearnan Myall, Thomas Young, Dan Robson, Danny Cipriani, Alapati Leiua.