Wasps' late sting

The downpour had obligingly ceased for the man who has recently walked on water just before he and Lawrence Dallaglio paraded the Webb Ellis Trophy round Kingston Park.

But just as he was preparing to celebrate another dramatic win from his seat in the stands, Jonny's Newcastle teammates allowed Wasps to break through for the decisive try with two minutes left.

This was not in the script on the day when Kingston Park enjoyed its first 10,000 capacity crowd, who rose to give Wilkinson and Dallaglio a tumultuous reception when they emerged at 2.40.

The press photographers were of paparazzi proportions, while flashbulbs were also going off everywhere among the amateur snappers in the crowd.

Only the players were unimpressed as they continued their warming-up routines at either end of the pitch, apparently oblivious to events in the middle and to the week's zillionth rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot.

To some of us it is starting to sound like a very tedious tune indeed. But what the heck, the country is still in celebratory mood and Saturday's sales of Jonny Wilkinson shirts pushed the week's takings in the Newcastle club shop up to £8,000.

Jonny looked a little bemused by it all, as he had all week. He had done the rounds of the hospitality boxes surrounded by security guards and now the public address man was asking the fans: "Please refrain from jumping out of your seats and mobbing him."

It was the cameramen who were mobbing him, and once they had escaped the snapping scrum the World Cup duo waved to the crowd, jogged around for a couple of minutes then retreated from the chilling wind which the Falcons faced in the first half.

It looked like the wind would be worth 15 points, so when they came back from 13-0 down after 22 minutes to trail only 16-7 at half-time victory looked almost a formality.

Everything was still going to script when they scored a converted try 16 minutes after the break then edged a point in front with a penalty eight minutes later.

But sending on skipper Mark Andrews for the grafting Garath Archer after his five-week break did not have the desired effect as the Falcons failed to nail down the win which would have crowned a marvellous day.

There were times when Jonny must have been itching to get out in the middle as his deputy, David Walder, did not have the best of times.

He missed a couple of penalties, fluffed his first two restarts, and kicked straight down the throat of Kenny Logan, who from just outside halfway started and finished the move which gave Wasps their second try.

Walder was also left clutching the air as Wasps' replacement scrum half Peter Richards swept past him and full back Ben Gollings for that 78th minute try.

In truth, neither side particularly deserved to win. They could blame the wind for making conditions difficult, but the newcomers in the crowd were unlikely to have been sufficiently impressed to want to rush back.

Newcastle will have to rely on the Wilkinson factor to pack the stadium again when he makes his comeback on December 14 against Spanish club Valladolid.

But they know they missed a big opportunity to impress on Saturday, with Rob Andrew observing: "We threw it away and it was very disappointing in front of a full house.

"Having got in front in the second half we should never have allowed Wasps back into the game."

The greatest piece of skill came, amazingly, from Tongan powerhouse Epi Taione.

It obviously surprised Wasps as they were expecting him to blast into them as usual when he missed out two teammates and floated out a perfect pass into the lap of winger Tom May, who took it in full cry just outside halfway.

He raced 25 metres and passed inside for the speedy Gollings to outstrip the remnants of Wasps' shredded defence.

Coming after 26 minutes, when they trailed 13-0, that was the try which signalled Newcastle could win the game.

Visiting full back Mark Van Gisbergen, who had missed a penalty and both conversions, landed his second penalty for handling on the deck just before half-time, but the Falcons still looked comfortable.

Taoine limped off eight minutes after the break to be replaced by Phil Dowson, and shortly afterwards the referee called on the replay facility available because of Sky TV's presence to show that Logan had knocked on over the line.

The pressure was relieved by a superb kick from Gollings, quickly followed by a rolling kick to the corner by Walder.

Newcastle looked to have squandered the situation with a dreadful pass, but Michael Stephenson recovered the ball in midfield then moved out to the right wing to make a telling incision.

The ball came back inside via centre Mark Mayerhofler and May was given a clear run to the posts. Walder converted and the Falcons began to make changes, sending on James Grindal for scrum half Hall Charlton and Marius Hurter for prop Micky Ward.

In Charlton's case this looked like unnecessary tinkering, which may well have played a part in losing the game.

A Walder penalty edged Newcastle ahead, but with stoppages disrupting the game they failed to turn the screw and allowed centre Fraser Waters to escape down the right.

The momentum allowed Wasps to set up a ruck inside the 22 and Richards grabbed the ball to shoot over, giving Van Gisbergen a relatively simple conversion.

Trailing by six points, Walder kicked a penalty in injury time when Newcastle ought to have gone for the try if they wanted to crown a memorable day with a dramatic win.

Still, we've all go to come back to earth sometime.

Result: Newcastle Falcons 20 Wasps 23.