Premiership: Wasps 36-24 Leicester

Wing Frank Halai's try secured a bonus point for Wasps

Wasps climbed above Leicester to third in the Premiership table with a 36-24 bonus-point victory at the Ricoh Arena.

Charles Piutau scored early for Wasps but Peter Betham intercepted Christian Wade's pass to give Tigers the lead.

Wade immediately crossed at the other end and Piutau's second score gave the hosts a 22-10 half-time advantage.

Further tries from Frank Halai and Nathan Hughes sealed victory for Wasps, although Telusa Veainu and Vereniki Goneva responded for Leicester.

It was Wasps' first win over Leicester since a 22-12 victory at Adams Park in October 2013, allowing both them and Northampton, who were 26-11 winners over Sale, to overtake Tigers, who slip to fifth.

Only five points separate Wasps from sixth-placed Harlequins in the race for a top-four play-off place.

Jimmy Gopperth's early penalty and Piutau's opening try, following Ashley Johnson's break, got Wasps off to a flying start, but, despite being second best, Tigers hit back to lead when Wade gifted Betham a try.

Wade made amends when he caught Gopperth's crossfield kick to go in at the corner, before Piutau extended the lead.

Halai gave the hosts extra breathing space and, although Veainu and Hughes exchanged tries, Goneva's 76th-minute score came too late for Tigers to force a losing bonus point.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young:

"It was a big statement. We know we have got the quality but sometimes you have to roll your sleeves up.

"Twelve months ago Leicester were too physical for us in the contact area, they smashed us.

"I thought today we controlled the gain line and we only started to concede when we went laterally.

"I wasn't comfortable until 20 minutes to go when Nathan Hughes scored his try because I have huge respect for the Tigers and they keep going.

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill:

"I was a bit disappointed with our defensive display at times but they took their opportunities well.

"We conceded too many tries too easily. If you get broken that cleanly it's going to cost you.

"Credit to the boys for sticking in there. We were playing for two points at the end but we were a bit under-powered in the backline. That hurt us."

Wasps: Miller; Wade, C Piutau, S Piutau, Halai; Gopperth, Robson; McIntyre, Johnson, Cooper-Woolley, Cannon, Myall, Young, Smith (capt), Jones.

Replacements: Shervington, Mullan, Swainston, Rowlands, Hughes, Stevenson, Lozowski, Macken.

Leicester: Tait; Thompstone, Betham, Smith, Goneva; Burns, Kitto; Ayerza, Thacker, Mulipola, Fitzgerald, Barrow, Croft, McCaffrey, Slater (capt).

Replacements: Van Vuuren, Genge, Balmain, Kitchener, Williams, Tresidder, Williams, Veainu.

Ref: Greg Garner

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