Experience decisive for Young
Wasps director of rugby Dai Young conceded his side were outclassed by a more experienced team after they crashed to a 48-28 defeat to Leinster in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Leinster booked a home semi-final against Biarritz with fly-half Ian Madigan contributing 28 points. Gordon D'Arcy, Rob Kearney, Mike Ross and Isa Nacewa all crossed in a ruthless attacking performance from Leinster. Wasps had their moments with Christian Wade running in two dazzling tries and Tom Varndell crossing for two consolation scores late on.
Young is rebuilding a Wasps side who only 12 months ago were involved in a scrap for their survival, not just in the Aviva Premiership but as a club. Young said: "You looked at us and you saw a team that was developing; you looked at them and they looked like a team that has played at this level for a long time."
He continued: "They were more streetwise than us and had a bit more control in most areas than us.
"We will learn from that and these are the type of opposition we need to play."
Leinster led 20-15 at half-time but accelerated out of reach early in the second period after a catalogue of mistakes from Elliot Daly and then from Hugo Southwell.
"The disappointing thing from my point of view is that we gave them at least 14 easy points," Young said. "Playing a team of that quality is always going to be tough and you certainly don't want to make it any harder for yourselves.
"We had an opportunity just before half-time to go in level. I felt the next points were always going to be crucial and we needed to get it. The first 10 minutes of the second half there were individual errors that gave them the game really. After that we were playing catch-up rugby."
Leinster were making their debut in the Amlin Challenge Cup but played with a hunger that shows they are taking the tournament seriously.
"I played for years without a sniff of a trophy. Once you win one you get greedy and selfish and you just want to win," D'Arcy said. "When you look back on your career, you want to think 'I won this and I won that'. That drives me on. I am hungry for silverware."
