Another tidal wave of running and passing put Andrew Leeds clear for the line but, just as he was about to launch himself over, Paul Sampson propelled himself at the Tigers full-back – almost decapitating him in the process. Steve Lander, the referee, had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try and at the same time gave the young Wasps full- back a stern wigging. This was a pity for Sampson, who had shown an impressive turn of speed and caused the Leicester defence their few moments of concern.A minute after Sampson’s abberation the Wasps defence opened up again for Horak to put Stransky over and then Potter cleared the way for Waisale Serevi to score Leicester’s fifth try two minutes later. There were still two minutes plus injury-time remaining when, with Leicester already immersed in their post-match celebrations, Logan crossed their unguarded line twice to gave Wasps a measure of respectability, but little comfort.Leicester: A Leeds; M Horak, J Overend, S Potter, L Lloyd (W Serevi, 60); J Stransky, A Healey; G Rowntree, R Cockerill (D West, 63), D Garforth, M Johnson (capt), F Van Heerden, L Moody, M Corry (P Gustard, 60), N Back.Wasps: P. Sampson; S Roiser, L Scrase, G Rees, K Logan; A King, M Friday; D Molloy, S Mitchell (T Leota, 63), W Green, D Cronin (capt) (M Weegon, 63), S Shaw, J Worsley (C Sheasby, 24), P Scrivener, M White.Referee: S Lander (Liverpool). IT’S just as well that rugby folk are getting used to changes on an almost daily basis because another one is surely imminent – the switch in Europe from “The Famous Five” to “Now We Are Six”.

The decision on whether to admit Italy to the sport’s oldest tournament – hitherto known as the Five Nations’ Championship – looks like being made at the next meeting of the Rugby Football Union’s council on 20 February. Last Friday was hailed as “a great day for Italian rugby” by Giancarlo Dondi, the president of the Italian Federation, after the other four nations laid out the welcome mat for the 1999-2000 Championship.
And with Allan Hosie, the chairman of the Five Nations’ committee, cooing about the “new and exciting dimension” which Italy would bring to proceedings, rejection at this stage would be churlish even by the RFU’s standards.A series of impressive results have strengthened Italy’s case, and they have two further gilt-edged opportunities over the next three weeks to prove their international mettle – on Saturday when they entertain Scotland in Treviso and on 7 February, the opening day of the 1998 Championship, when they meet Wales in Llanelli.”I believe we are good enough to play in the European Championship, but we have to win both games to prove we are worthy and make it difficult for the English to turn us down,” said the prop and former Italian captain Massimo Cuttitta, who now plays for Harlequins.”We beat Ireland last month so we ought to have a good chance against Scotland and Wales, but rugby is a strange game. He did voice concern about his side’s lack of discipline, despite also praising their fighting spirit. “In the first half we were beaten too many times in the fight and we had to become more physical in the second half if we were to get something out of the game and I am very proud of my team.”The French coach would not have been so happy had his side maintained their first-half form, which saw them control the game until Whelan struck in the 20th minute and then collapse. We have been working morning, noon and night to win football matches and we’ve got nothing from referees. The FA can come after me if they like.” And with that, he was gone.Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, remained calm, saying the referee had been under enormous pressure from players and crowd alike.

“We deserved to win hands down and my players worked their hearts out for absolutely nothing. Coventry City 2

Whelan 21, Dublin pen 66
Arsenal 2Bergkamp 50, Anelka 57Attendance: 22,864DION DUBLIN marked what is expected to be his last Coventry appearance before a proposed pounds 4m move to Middlesbrough with an equalising penalty in a match which featured two dismissals and chances for about 10 goals at either end, all played out in front of a vibrant crowd.Coventry blew Arsenal away in the first half but only led by a single goal from Noel Whelan, paying heavily for their profligacy as Arsenal stole ahead shortly after the restart with strikes from Dennis Bergkamp and Nicolas Anelka.While neither team are likely to work so hard for just one point again, Gordon Strachan, the Coventry manager, is unlikely to be so angry again, with the Barnsley referee Steve Lodge the cause of his ire.”That referee was an absolute disgrace, a joke,” Strachan said. Leandro Bouza, the outside-half, pounced for Rosario’s second try, being up on the ball which went loose after Aristide had kicked ahead.Newport, who eventually gained their fourth win in six Trophy matches, looked unlikely to save their skins as errors plagued their game. King turned back into trouble on the Rosario 22 and the wing Matthew Robinson was held after doing well to take a difficult pass from Watkins.Newport – still waiting for their first win in the Welsh Premier Division which resumes in a fortnight when they are home to the leaders Swansea – ultimately deserved their win but Rosario can take heart from this performance.The irony is that the Trophy semi-finals can only be contested by Welsh clubs while Northern Transvaal and Cordoba have been competing in both preliminary pools.Newport: G King; M Robinson, P Cooke, M J Watkins, M Llewellyn; S Connor, B Davies; S Duggan, I Jones (capt), S Cronk (C Johnson, 74), G Taylor (R Ostler, 65), R Goodey, J Machacek, M Workman, R Parks (D Gray, 25).Rosario: N D’Angelo; G Aristide, A Pozzo, A Fradua, G R Acuna; L Bouza, M Moline (F del Castillo, 56); F Lluch, C Promanzio (capt; H Cespedes, 7), I Barrandeguy (A Gierbaudo, 59), M Palou, C Oviedo, M Carmona (H Dinucci, 59), A Amuchasteguy, C Boffelli.Referee: R G Davies (Dunvant)..

Hugo Cespedes came on and proved a capable replacement.Newport, 8-5 up at half time, edged ahead 11-5 with Connor’s second penalty. Inevitable frustration led to a punch- up between the forwards which prompted the referee, Robert Davies, to show yellow cards to the lock Gareth Taylor and the Rosario prop Facundo Lluch.Lluch switched to hooker in place of Rosario’s captain, Carlos Promanzio, who went off injured in the seventh minute. King, a Welsh Youth product playing his first big game for Newport, sparked the move with his fellow Youth centre Matthew Watkins feeding Connor, who gave Cooke the perfect pass.The sad fact for Newport was that Cooke and his fellow backs could rarely put together a concerted move before that late burst of tries.Newport, with three of their regular front-five forwards unavailable, were hard pressed by Rosario’s pack. They held that lead until the 73rd when the left-wing, Martyn Llewellyn, went over after a well-timed pass by the full-back, Gareth King.Six minutes later the centre Paul Cooke snapped up a gift try after a Rosario back dropped the ball in his own 22. Then, two minutes into injury time, the flanker Jan Machacek surged over.The outside-half Shaun Connor, who had a most erratic afternoon, converted the last two tries, after earlier landing two penalties.A crowd of 1500 saw a game which was only marginally better than Newport’s recent 13-0 win over Spain.