His start was pretty standard stuff – first touch big kick – but it was with his place

His start was pretty standard stuff – first touch, big kick – but it was with his place kicking that he looked a million dollars. Five out of seven of his kicks went through the uprights, two of them from the touchline, and one of the misses bounced back off the posts.If Andrew really is looking to open Sir John Hall’s chequebook in north London – and Wasps’ players are the most obvious targets since he knows them so well – then on yesterday’s evidence the contracts should immediately be drawn up with the names of Ian Dunston and Jon Ufton on them. Dunston, the prop, punched huge holes in the Saracens defence while Ufton made his mark with two huge dropped goals and a crunching cover tackle to stop a certain try three yards out.The second of Ufton’s dropped goals came as something of a godsend to Wasps, who had managed to let slip a 10-point lead in the second half. Their advantage had been built through Andrew’s kicking and a try by Peter Scrivener, peeling off the back of a scrum in the 12th minute. The star for Saracens was Tony Diprose – well worth a contract – though Andy Tunningley scored all Saracens’ points, his try coming when a kicked-through ball sat up perfectly for him to run through and touch down, thereby levelling the points.It was at this stage that Wasps really got going. Ufton kicked his second dropped goal and Damian Hopley, Buster White and Dean Ryan all scored tries in the left-hand corner. Andrew’s minor part in this revival was two appalling passes But then at Wasps he is, officially, an amateur player.

How different it all will be.Wasps: J Ufton; P Hopley, D Hopley, A James, S Roiser; R Andrew, S Bates; N Popplewell, K Dunn, I Dunston, M Greenwood, D Ryan (capt), L Dallaglio, M White, P Scrivener.Saracens: A Tunningley; P Harries, J Buckton, S Ravenscroft, P Butler; A Lee, B Davies (capt); G Holmes, G Botterman, S Wilson, M Langley, M Burrow, A Metcalfe, R Hill, A Diprose.Referee: G Borreani (France).. WHEN the league champions meet the cup holders, you might expect a match out of the top draw, but not perhaps something as stunning as this. The reigning First Division champions, Cardiff, simply blew Swansea away as they not only secured a maximum of three bonus points, but ensured that one of their strongest rivals for this season’s crown left the Arms Park empty-handed.
With tries meaning points this season, it is critical not only to amass as many as possible, but also to stop the opponents from gleaning something from their afternoon’s work. In restricting Swansea to two tries, Cardiff’s victory was arguably worth more than the five points they gained. They sent a near 10,000 crowd away smiling, and proved it is possible to play entertaining rugby in the toughest of environments.It was a mere six minutes before Cardiff got on the score sheet with some superb backline handling that allowed the Wales wing Simon Hill to cross at the left corner. While the Cardiff fans celebrated, the Swansea players protested that the scoring pass from the fullback Chris John to Hill was forward.To add insult to injury, John converted off the touchline, and one of the most breathtaking scorelines and performances in the history of the First Division was underway.The introduction of Simon Davies at fullback, in place of the injured John, after quarter of an hour, provided a sharper edge to the Cardiff backline, and by half time the newcomer had not only helped Mark Ring to score, but also grabbed one himself.If Swansea looked sad to be 22-3 down at the interval, by the end of the match they were distraught. Their heaviest league defeat was accompanied by four nasty injuries, the worst of which required the hooker, Marcus Thomas, to go to hospital for a scan on his injured back.The second half was full of further movement and a host of tries, two of which came from the wing Steve Ford.

Cardiff played with a purpose and design that marked them a cut above their opponents. It looks like being an exciting season at the Arms Park, and a tough one for anyone coming up against the champions.Cardiff: C John; S Ford, M Hall, M Ring, S Hill; A Davies, A Booth; A Lewis, H Bevan, L Mustoe, D Jones, K Stewart, O Williams, V Davies, H Taylor (capt).Swansea: A Clement (capt) (G Thomas, 9-15); A Harris, M Taylor, D Weatherley (S McIntosh, 37), Simon Davies; A Williams, Robert Jones (Rhodri Jones, 46); C Loader, M Thomas (E Evans, 34), K Colclough, R Moriarty, P Arnold, C Charvis, R Appleyard, A Moore (D Thomas, 72).Referee: W D Bevan (Clydach).. AFTER a desperate start to the season, which increased early fears of relegation, Orrell earned their first victory in Division One during an unsatisfactory match. Delight for Orrell but frustration for Sale, whose second row forward, John Fowler, was sent off for violent play in the second half.
A dreary match overall and little on show at Edge Hall Road to excite Sir John Hall and Rob Andrew in case they were thinking of launching a recruitment campaign in the north-west.As far as Orrell were concerned this game was of much more significance than a contest between the two premier clubs in the region. Having lost to Harlequins and Saracens, and being therefore pointless and second from bottom before kick-off, it was imperative to show indications of a revival.By contrast, Sale entered the game with more confidence although their prospects were not helped by the absence of their No 8 Charley Vyvyan, who was suffering from a neck injury.Orrell earned an early lead through a penalty by full-back Simon Mason, the eventual match winner, but this advantage was not to last. Sale’s fly-half Rob Liley quickly equalised with a skilfully taken dropped goal from 30 metres.Orrell, struggling to put together any fluent moves, relied on another Mason penalty to regain the lead but once again in a dull encounter, it could not be sustained.

Although Jim Mallinder almost scored a try for Sale, the points as before depended on the skill of Liley’s kicking. His penalty after 20 minutes produced a 6-6 scoreline.The ordinary standard on display was briefly improved by a dazzling run down the right wing from Chris Yates but this threat from Sale was ended by excellent covering.Overall, Sale enjoyed the bulk of possession, restricting Orrell to rare appearances in their opponents’ 22 before the break. The Cheshire club looked more inventive and their handling more secure but turning round at 6-6, could they be confident of inflicting further damage on Orrell’s start to the campaign?Another dangerous spurt by Yates hinted at a possible score but his chip ahead was intercepted by Austin Healey, Orrell’s scrum-half, covering back.Orrell, desperate for a win, then threw away two good opportunities to seize the initiative. But Mason, earlier accurate, failed to exploit the chances as both his kicks missed the target.That though did not apply to John Fowler, the Sale lock who was sent off for punching just after an hour.Mason immediately made amends, his third penalty giving his side a 9- 6 lead midway through the second half.With Sale counterattacking, Orrell’s line was under threat on several occasions, so it came as little surprise that panic set in. Their captain, Paul Johnson, was penalised for a high tackle, but Liley missed the goal, remarkably the ball hitting one post and then the other.In an exciting climax, Mason avoided the posts, his fourth penalty providing Orrell with their first win of the season.Orrell: S Mason; J Naylor, P Johnson (capt), I Wynn, L Tuigamala; P Hamer, A Healey; P Mitchell, M Scott, J Cundick, C Cusani, C Cooper, P Manley, J Huxley, S Bibby.Sale: J Mallinder (capt); C Yates, J Baxendell, G Stocks, M Appleson; R Liley, C Saverimutto; P Smith, S Diamond, A Smith, J Fowler, B Baldwin, D Erskine, N Ashurst, M Kenrick.Referee: H F Lewis (Wales). WELFORD ROAD with its gleaming new stand and its state of the art clubhouse looked magnificent, a manifestation of the prosperity of one of England’s premier clubs and a monument to rugby’s future Alas, the game itself was depressingly rooted in the past. In the first 12 minutes there were seven penalties, four kicks at goal, a drop goal attempt and half a dozen bruising tackles.