Wasps Find Their Voyce in Time for Annual Crescendo

The sight of Paul Sackey limping away from Headingley with a bruised knee was the one downside to a successful few days in the north for Wasps. For, rather than limping towards this month's Premiership final at Twickenham, Wasps are gaining pace on nervous rivals wary of their traditional surge at the end of a season.

Wasps' three rivals in next Sunday's semi-finals do not need a history lesson. In 2003, 2004 and 2005 Wasps came second in the Premiership and went on to win all three finals, against Gloucester, Bath and Leicester. All three, particularly Bath, next weekend's opponents in Wycombe, will wake up on Sunday fearing that Groundhog Day is about to start again.

The England wing Sackey's try had helped secure a bonus-point win in Newcastle three days earlier. This victory, also worth five points and Wasps' 10th in 11 games, was far from perfect but just as emphatic with three tries from Tom Voyce, a wing largely forgotten by England.

Martin Johnson, who will be concerned about Sackey's health as he prepares to name his first squad tomorrow, might do worse than recall his club-mate on the strength of his predatory display here. Meanwhile Lawrence Dallaglio is determined that his playing career will end on a triumphant note this month.

Wasps' captain said: "To give 10 players to England this season, to give a coach to Wales and to be 10th in the Premiership at the end of the World Cup and still qualify for the playoff s is a monumental achievement."

For Ian McGeechan, the visiting head coach whose playing career began at Headingley, this could be another emotional week. He is expected to be announced as Lions coach on Wednesday four days before his club face Bath. "A lot of blood, sweat and tears has got us here," he said.

Buckets of the same will be needed for the Lions to repeat the feats of McGeechan's 1997 side in South Africa next year. Leeds were defiant enough to suggest that this will not be too long a goodbye to the Premiership.

On the day Headingley said farewell to their director of rugby, Stuart Lancaster, and captain, Stuart Hooper, they caused Wasps many problems in the first half, leading until five minutes before the break thanks partly to an interception try by their young wing Tom Biggs.

The England Under-21 international is said to be unhappy that Leeds are demanding a transfer fee for him as he wants to remain in the Premiership. Securing his future at Leeds will be a priority for whoever succeeds Lancaster this summer.

Leeds Hinton; Armstrong (Hepworth, 20), Vickerman, Holtby, Biggs; Di Bernardo (Greendale, 77), Bedford (Edwards, h-t); MacDonald, Ma'asi (Rawlinson, 63), McGee (Hopcroft, 63), Hooper (capt), Myall, Dunbar (Bouza, 56), Fourie, Balding (Lock, 45).

Tries Biggs, Hepworth, Fourie. Cons Di Bernardo 2. Pens Di Bernardo 3.

London Wasps Van Gisbergen; Sackey (Lewsey, 16), Waters, Flutey, Voyce; Staunton, Reddan (McMillan, 45); French (Payne, h-t), Ibanez (Ward, 55), Holford, Shaw (Birkett, 61), Palmer, Worsley (Webber, 63), Haskell, Dallaglio (capt).

Tries Voyce 3, Waters, Ibanez, Ward. Cons Staunton 6. Pen Staunton.

Referee A Small (London). Att 7,842