Walder boots Wasps to win in France

BAYONNE 3, LONDON WASPS 12

Dave Walder kicked London Wasps to a victory that gives them a toehold on an Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final place.
Their double victory over the French side - they beat them 22-18 at home last weekend -ensured they took a seven point lead over Bayonne at the top of Pool 4 with games against Rugby Roma and Racing-Metro to come in the new year.
Walder kicked two penalties in the first-half and then wrapped up proceedings with a drop goal and third penalty in the closing 15 minutes. He also missed with another two penalty shots.
But while the outside half took the plaudits, it was the London Wasps front five that laid the foundations for a 13th straight win in the tournament for the Londoners. They dominated the scrums and crucially won a string of penalties to frustrate the home side.
The visitors also had to win the hard way as they played with 14 men for 20 minutes. Skipper Serge Betsen was the first to go to the sin-bin just before half-time and then George Skivington followed for using his knee at a ruck in the second half.
Even so, Wasps never took a backward step in the forward exchanges and their overall defensive effort strangled the life out of every Bayonne attack.
Italian outside half Craig Gower and replacement full back many Edmonds tried to inject some life into the home side's attacks, but they never found the cutting edge required to hurt Wasps.
The only points Bayonne could manage came from the boot of Spanish international scrum half Cedric Garcia, although he was wide with another attempt as was his half-back partner Gower.
Walder's success with the boot - he also scored 12 points in last weekend's victory at Adams Park - meant the fit-again Danny Cipriani didn't get a chance to come off the bench and continue his comeback from injury.
It was the second time the 22-year-old, who has just recovered from a hairline fracture of his right fibula suffered at Northampton way back in October, had been included among the replacements. Once again he failed to get on.
Scorers: Bayonne: Pen: C Garcia. London Wasps: Pens: D Walder 3; DG: D Walder.