LONDON, 15 May 2005 — Martin Johnson’s rugby career ended in bitter disappointment yesterday as Lawrence Dallaglio’s Wasps destroyed Leicester 39-14 to win the English Premiership final for the third time in a row.
Johnson, England’s 2003 World Cup winning captain, was totally overshadowed as Wasps, with Dallaglio to the fore, grabbed the spoils at Twickenham.
Full back Mark van Gisbergen scored a try, five penalties and three conversions for 26 points.
Dallaglio praised Johnson as a rugby great after the game but said he had been inspired by the critics writing his side off.
Wasps stormed into a 13-0 lead after just eight minutes and were never headed as Leicester struggled to find any rhythm against their opponents’ pressing defense and powerful running. Van Gisbergen kicked a penalty after two minutes when Leicester failed to roll away from a ruck and winger Tom Voyce was soon galloping away for an unopposed try from his own half after a crunching Dallaglio tackle on centre Ollie Smith. The conversion followed and Alex King then added a cool drop goal. Andy Goode reduced the deficit with two penalties only for Wasps to pull away again through van Gisbergen’s boot and lead 19-6 at the break.
O’Gara Fires Munster to Celtic Cup Final Win
In Dublin, Ronan O’Gara made a triumphant return after a two-month injury lay-off to fire Munster to a 27-16 win over Llanelli in the final of the Celtic League in Dublin.
The Irish outside-half, who has not played since March after sustaining a serious knee injury, put in a man-of-the-match performance in scoring 22 points, including a try and an exquisite drop-goal.
British and Irish Lions coach Clive Woodward will have taken heart from the display of O’Gara, whom pundits had largely written off as real contender for a starting berth in the Lions tour of New Zealand this summer after a poor Six Nations campaign.
Munster were first on the scoreboard, a scything miss-pass from O’Gara finding left wing Anthony Horgan who stepped inside one defender to touch down.
