ALFIE BARBEARY’s late try booked Wasps place in the European Challenge Cup semi-final’s after a thrilling 34-30 victory against Edinburgh.
Barbeary’s try on 75 minutes snatched a crucial win for Wasps with Jimmy Gopperth, Biyi Alo and Tom West also touching down at Edinburgh Rugby Stadium.
Wasps will now play Top 14 side Lyon in the semi-final’s after the French club won a similarly dramatic game against Glasgow Warriors.
The visitors took an early lead when Gopperth kicked a routine penalty only for Edinburgh to hit back almost immediately with a penalty of their own through Emiliano Boffelli.
Edinburgh scored the game’s first try on 12 minutes when Ben Vellacott touched down following some good offloads with Boffelli adding the extras.
Wasps responded with their first try on 15 minutes when Gopperth scored close to the posts from Dan Robson’s pass before converting his own try.
The home side restored their lead on 25 minutes when Adam McBurney scored from a powerful driving maul with Boffelli successfully kicking the conversion.
And a Boffelli penalty early in the second period stretched Edinburghs’s lead to 10 points.
However, Wasps closed the gap to three points on 43 minutes when Alo smashed his way over the line with a powerful carry from close range with Gopperth adding the extras.
Veteran fly-half Gopperth then kicked a penalty from right in front of the posts to draw the teams level.
Wasps took a giant stride towards the last four when West went over from close range on 58 minutes after some sustained pressure on the Edinburgh line with Gopperth again converting.
However, the Scottish side drew level on 67 minutes when Magnus Bradbury finished underneath the posts from a clever offload with Boffelli adding the extras.
And Boffelli edged Edinburgh into the lead with a penalty on 73 minutes to leave Wasps on the brink of defeat.
Wasps looked certain to be awarded a penalty try when Edinburgh collapsed a rolling maul close to their own line only for the referee to award a penalty and send Connor Boyle to the sin bin.
However, Lee Blackett’s side were not to be denied as Barbeary crashed over with five minutes left to play before Gopperth converted through the middle of the posts to hand Wasps a four-point margin of victory.
Wasps travel to Lyon for the semi-final clash on Saturday, May 14 with kick-off at 1.30pm at Matmut Stadium de Gerland.
