These two sides drew 3-3 in their previous Guinness Premiership fixture and if that game was short on scoring action, this was anything but as both sides went about their business.

The last 10 minutes saw the hosts successfully launch their fightback with tries by Kai Horstmann and replacement centre Dominic Feaunati, whose introduction along with Gavin Quinnell and Ryan Powell in the second period by coach Mike Ruddock was crucial.

Worcester went into the game with fly-half James Brown, centre Mark Tucker and prop Darren Morris making their first starts of the season and Shane Drahm switching to full-back while Wasps opted for Dominic Waldouck on the wing, Dave
Walder at fly-half and Tim Payne and Joe Ward in the front-row with Riki Flutey moving to centre.

But it was the change in style former Wales coach Ruddock is trying to instil at Worcester that was most evident from the off as they worked a superb try for wing Marcel Garvey.

After Dale Rasmussen gathered and set-off from within his own 22, fly-half James Brown kicked ahead and centre Mark Tucker followed up to send Garvey arcing around Tom Voyce before the wing won the race to his own chip ahead.

Shane Drahm converted that third-minute touchdown, but Wasps gradually fought their way into the lead with a Danny Cipriani penalty, followed by prop Pat Barnard claiming a try from a close-range drive for the full-back to convert.

Cipriani and Walder another penalty apiece to give Wasps a 16-7 half-time lead while the hosts were down to 14 men either side of the break with flanker Tom Wood in the sin-bin for illegally killing the ball.

Walder kicked his second penalty a minute after the break and after Drahm replied James Haskell battered his way over from a close-range scrum to put the visitors two converted tries ahead.

But that did not deter the home side who saw number eight Horstmann and Feaunati cross at the corner for scores superbly converted by Drahm.

Worcester: (7) 24
Tries: Garvey, Horstmann, Feaunati
Con: Drahm 3
Pens: Drahm

Wasps: (16) 24
Tries: Bernard, Haskell
Con: Cipriani
Pens: Cipriani, Walder 3

Worcester: Drahm, Delport, Rasmussen, Tucker, Garvey, Brown, M. Powell, Morris, C. Fortey, Tuamoepeau, Murphy, Gillies, Wood, Sanderson, Horstmann.

Replacements: Windo, Gotting, Bowley, Quinnell, R. Powell, Feaunati, Pennell.

Wasps: Cipriani, Voyce, Waters, Flutey, Waldouck, Walder, McMillan, Payne, Ward, Barnard, Birkett, Palmer, Hart, Skivington, Haskell.

Replacements: Buckland, Holford, French, Ellis, Amor, Bishay, van Gisbergen.

Referee: R Debney (RFU)