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          European Rugby Champions Cup 2017
          ZebreZebreZEB
          27
          22/01FT
          41
          WaspsWaspsWASPS
          • Mattia Bellini(14')
          • Kurt Baker(68')
          • Federico Ruzza(80')
          • Carlo Canna(15', 69')
          • Marcello Violi(81')
          • Carlo Canna(9')
          • Marcello Violi(25')
          • Ashley Johnson(32', 53')
          • Danny Cipriani(36')
          • Elliot Daly(41')
          • Christian Wade(58')
          • Nathan Hughes(76')
          • Danny Cipriani(37', 54', 77', 41'+1)
          • Danny Cipriani(16')
          • SummarySummary
          • ReportReport
          • CommentaryCommentary
          • Match StatsMatch Stats
          • Player StatsPlayer Stats
          • LineupsLineups
          • TableTable

          Wasps battle past Zebre to top Champions Cup pool

          Danny Cipriani skates over for Wasps second try against Zebre in Parma. Getty Images
          • PA Sport
          Multiple Authors
          Jan 22, 2017, 01:15 PM ET
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          Wasps overcame a slow start to beat Zebre 41-27 and set up a European Champions Cup quarter-final with Leinster.

          Dai Young's side will travel to Dublin at the start of April after their bonus-point success over the Italians saw them finish top of Pool Two with 22 points.

          The English side were deserving winners, but Zebre more than played their part and pushed Wasps all the way in a match which was a lot tighter than many had predicted.

          Two tries from Ashley Johnson and further scores from Danny Cipriani, Elliot Daly, Christian Wade and Nathan Hughes sealed an away win.

          Cipriani booted four conversions and a penalty, but Wasps will have to improve on this showing if they are to make it past the last eight of Europe's premier club competition.

          A one-sided encounter had been expected in Parma, but it was Zebre, who had conceded 290 points from their five matches going into this tie, that started with a bang.

          Carlo Canna's eighth-minute penalty put Zebre into a surprise lead and just five minutes later it got even better.

          After Wasps lost their own line-out five metres from their line, fly-half Canna spread the ball right and when Kurtley Beale jumped out of the defensive line, it allowed outside centre Mattia Bellini to make his way to the line.

          Canna converted and although Cipriani got Wasps on the board with a 16th-minute penalty, Zebre deservedly extended their advantage with a penalty from scrum-half Marcello Violi.

          Wasps, who had thrashed Zebre 82-14 in the return fixture, were given a boost when home hooker Oliviero Fabiani was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle on Simon McIntyre.

          With a man advantage, Young's side struck. First, Johnson powered over from close range before Cipriani ghosted through a gap to dot down for two tries in quick succession.

          Wasps had now woken up and there was still time for a third before the break as Daly's outside arc saw him finish in the corner past some poor Zebre tackling.

          The bonus-point score arrived soon after the interval when Zebre again paid the price for poor discipline. Number eight Derick Minnie was yellow carded for infringing at a maul and Johnson soon powered over for his second.

          Wade then crossed for the best score of the day, standing up the Zebre defence and sprinting clear to dive over in the corner.

          Cipriani converted the first of those tries to make it 34-13 at the hour mark and, with Wasps in charge, Young removed England internationals Joe Launchbury and James Haskell from the fray with the Six Nations just around the corner.

          The final quarter saw the game open up with Wasps looking for more tries and Zebre hunting a consolation.

          Replacement scrum-half Craig Hampson made an electric break for Wasps, but in support and with a clear run to the line ahead of him, Beale inexplicably dropped the ball.

          Zebre full-back Kurt Baker then showed his opposite number how to do it by making his way to the line for another score created by Canna.

          The Italian international added the extras again and there was still time for an entertaining second half to end with Hughes scoring Wasps' sixth try before Italian replacement Federico Ruzza crossed for the hosts.

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          Standings

          Pool 1
          RTeamGPPDP
          1GLA4+4920
          2STA4+9412
          3SAL4-3811
          4SAR4+1310
          5SHA4-1010
          6ASM4-1080
          Pool 2
          RTeamGPPDP
          1BAT4+9116
          2RC4+1714
          3CAS4-810
          4EDI4-7110
          5MUN4-28
          6GLO4-276
          Pool 3
          RTeamGPPDP
          1LEI4+3518
          2HAR4+9815
          3STO4-814
          4LEI4+36
          5STA4-136
          6BAY4-1150
          Pool 4
          RTeamGPPDP
          1UNI4+7620
          2NOR4+4616
          3BRI4+5014
          4BUL4-687
          5SEC4-506
          6SCA4-543
          Full Table

          European Rugby Champions Cup 2017 News

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            La Rochelle became the fifth team to win back-to-back European Champions Cups on Saturday when they clawed back a 17-point deficit to beat Leinster 27-26 at the Aviva Stadium in another breathless final between the sides.

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