European Rugby Champions Cup: Leinster 6-33 Wasps

Wasps' third try scorer Charles Piutau is set to join Ulster next season

Wasps secured a convincing victory away to three-time winners Leinster in the European Champions Cup.

After an early exchange of penalties from Ruaridh Jackson and returning Leinster fly-half Johnny Sexton, two-time champions Wasps took charge.

Christian Wade went over before the break and Joe Simpson crossed under the posts to give them a 17-point lead.

Wasps kept their Irish opponents at bay in the second half and scored a late third try through Charles Piutau.

It gave the English side victory in the only Pool Five fixture played on the competition's opening weekend. Holders Toulon's group opener against Bath was postponed after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday.

Wasps had failed to beat Leinster when they met in the group stages of the competition last season, but were in control this time round as their Dublin-based opponents suffered their heaviest European home defeat.

Jackson and Sexton were both fighting a strong cross-wind as they scored twice each from the tee to make it 6-6, and it fell to England prospect Elliot Daly to land a penalty from 50 metres out to give Wasps a narrow advantage.

The visitors then scored the first of their three tries when Simpson's speculative cross-field kick bounced awkwardly beyond Dave Kearney, and Wade was on hand to collect and pounce.

Having lost both Richardt Strauss and Sean O'Brien to concussion, Leinster fell further behind as Simpson broke the defence and sprinted under the posts, having been sent on his way thanks to a bulldozing run from Frank Halai.

Jackson, who converted both tries, added another penalty to make it 26-6 and while the Irish province attempted to find a way back, Wasps' defence held strong.

And the Coventry-based side grabbed a third try at the finish when Piutau touched down over team-mate Sailosi Tagicakibau, who had been halted just short of the line.

Wasps lock Joe Launchbury told BBC Radio 5 live: "We had the confidence to come here and play and you saw that in large parts today.

"I've been here a few years now and that's up there with the best, if not the best, win I've been in.

"We've been through some tough times but when I signed I could see the vision of the club and I've believed in it for a long time.

"Hopefully if we keep these sort of results going, we'll start to get noticed."

Leinster: Nacewa; Kirchner, McFadden, Reid, D. Kearney; Sexton, Reddan; J. McGrath, Strauss, Ross; Toner, McCarthy; Murphy, O'Brien, Heaslip.

Replacements: Ringrose for D. Kearney (70), L. McGrath for Reddan (48), Healy for J. McGrath (48), Cronin for Strauss (25), Furlong for Ross (48), Triggs for McCarthy (41), Conan for O'Brien (39).

Not Used: Madigan.

Wasps: Piutau; Wade, Daly, Jacobs, Halai; Jackson, Simpson; Mullan, Festuccia, Cooper-Woolley; Launchbury, Davies; Jones, G. Smith, N. Hughes.

Replacements: Tagicakibau for Wade (69), Lozowski for Jackson (72), Robson for Simpson (55), McIntyre for Mullan (63), Johnson for Festuccia (55), Swainston for Cooper-Woolley (63), Gaskell for Davies (66), Thompson for N. Hughes (72).

Att: 13,000

Ref: Mathieu Raynal (France).