Sunday 1 February 2015 17:40, UK
Cardiff Blues lock Miles Normandale scored a last-minute try to earn a remarkable 45-42 LV= Cup victory over Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.
The Blues looked certain to take nothing from the game as Wasps seemed to be in complete control but the home side took off some key players, allowing Cardiff back in to the match.
Cardiff can secure a semi-final spot as winners of Pool Two by beating Leicester next week and should they do so, Wasps can join them with a win over Northampton.
Wasps scored six tries through Thomas Young (two), Will Helu, Saliosi Tagicakibau, Guy Thompson and a penalty try, with the impressive Alex Lozowski converting all six.
Normandale (two), Macauley Cook, Lewis Jones, Lucas Amorosino and Seb Davies were the Blues' try-scorers with Rhys Patchell adding six conversions and a penalty.
Saracens continued their unbeaten run in this season's LV= Cup as Mark McCall's young side ground out a 20-15 victory over London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium.
Ben Spencer proved the hero for Saracens as the scrum-half scored a try and kicked 10 points in an assured display.
A brace of tries from Opeti Fonua and five points from the boot of Tristan Roberts was not enough for Welsh.
After a frantic opening 13 minutes of play during which both sides created several scoring opportunities, Roberts sat in the pocket and fired over a sublime drop-goal to open the scoring for the hosts.
Welsh dominated possession and territory in the first half but a lack of accuracy and numerous unforced errors prevented them securing their first win of the season.
Newcastle’s forwards set the platform for the Falcons to clinch a bonus-point 39-19 LV= Cup win over Sale at Kingston Park.
The Falcons scored five tries, four of them in the first half to wrap up the try bonus point and Sale had no answer to the effectiveness of the hosts' forwards and some clinical finishing.
It was Newcastle's first win in the competition this season and will probably not be enough for them to qualify for the knock-out stages, while Sale similarly will be hard pressed to go through after this defeat.
It was a penalty-strewn match in which four players – three from Sale and one from Newcastle – were sin-binned, but there were some fluid and exciting attacks from both sides with Newcastle's edge up front the key.
Defending LV=Cup Champions Exeter qualified for the sem-finals after beating Newport Gwent Dragons 37-32 at Rodney Parade.
Exeter looked to be in controlas they led 25-6 heading into the final half-hour, but had to rally quickly as their hosts launched a brave second-half fightback and, had Scott Matthews try been converted, would have reduced the gap to 30-28.
Tom Prydie’s effort went wide, though, and a penalty try for Exeter with six minutes remaining ensured the Chiefs of the bonus-point victory and a place in the last four.
Adam Hughes, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Tom James and Sam Skinner were the other tryscorers for the visitors, with fly-half Ceri Sweeney adding two penalties and three conversions.
Newport responded with four tries of their own – all in the second half – through Cory Hill, Luc Jones, Matthews and Jason Tovey while Prydie slotted over two penalties and two conversions as the Dragons gained two bonus points.
