Youthful Worcester Warriors put up a brave fight before crashing to a Danny Cipriani inspired London Wasps at Adams Park.
Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock opted to give his young guns the chance to fire in the Guinness Premiership encounter after a string of injuries to his first team stars.
Flanker Matt Cox marked the first league appearance of his career with a first half try and Matt Mullan scored late as Warriors put up a real battle.
But it was new England superstar Cipriani who stole the show with a try and seven conversions to pile up 19 points as the home side ran away with the game in the latter stages as they rattled up seven tries.
“We have to remember that we had eight players in the 22 from our Academy, two were making their debut,” said Ruddock.
“It is a big learning curve for them. Now they know how far they have to go to perform at this level. Tactically and professionally they will have learnt a lot.
Warriors made a number of changes for the game with the young guns given the chance to sparkle in the sunshine at Adams Park.
Jonny Arr made his first Guinness Premiership start at scrum half and England Under 20 international Cox his first ever league appearance in the back row.
Rising stars Mullan, Chris Pennell and Will Bowley were also handed starts and Mark Tucker was recalled for his 99th Premiership appearance alongside Rico Gear in the centre.
Lock Craig Gillies stole an early lineout to settle any nerves and the backs hit the line hard with Tucker and fit again Marcel Garvey making breaks. Wasps were caught offside giving Shane Drahm to break the deadlock but the fly half pulled his kick left to let the home side off the hook.
Worcester were enjoying early territory and Drahm again pinned the hosts back with a superb kick across field to touch before Miles Benjamin took a high kick from home superstar Danny Cipriani to ease the pressure.
Warriors were stringing some good early passages of play together as Rico Gear tore a huge hole in midfield and fed Drew Hickey but his inside pass just failed to find Cox on his shoulder.
The visitors looked to create the first try of the afternoon after a step from Pennell freed Tom Wood who made 30 metres before being hauled down. The ball was instantly fed down the line by Arr but Wasps regrouped and prop Tevita Taumoepeau was adjudged to have held on and the chance was gone.
Wasps finally mounted an attack after 11 minutes but they slammed the door shut before Cox was adjudged to have knocked on as he looked to disrupt play.
Miles Benjamin was penalised for impeding the scrum half and Cipriani kicked for the corner. The ball was successfully won but the chance looked to have been missed until Riki Flutey broke a tackle from Tucker and sped over from close range. Cipriani added the extras for a 7-0 the home side barely deserved on the balance of play in the opening quarter.
Play was held up when scrum half Mark McMillan received treatment after a big tackle from Hickey and when play resumed the ball was again taken on by Wasps with real venom before Paul Sackey knocked on under little pressure.
Worcester lost Cox to the sin-bin on 20 minutes for repeated infringements at the breakdown and the home side looked to make it count as they kicked for the corner. The forwards then kept itb tight and eventually made the extra man count as Pat Barnard drove over from close range. Cipriani added the extras for a 14-0 lead.
Warriors looked to hit back with Wood making good yards before Gear lost the ball in the tackle and the home side stormed away through Joe Ward. Josh Lewsey was the beneficiary as he raced into space only to knock on after a thumping tackle from Benjamin.
Opposing wing Marcel Garvey was then nearly first to a kick ahead by Drahm but was just nudged into touch as he looked to tear clear.
Wasps grabbed a third try of the afternoon when some neat play down the right saw Dominic Waldouck make yards before flipping it inside to Danny Cipriani who raced in. The fly half then slotted the conversion before Cox returned from the sin-bin.
Drahm hit a superb touch to the corner after Wasps were offside to set up a great attacking platform. The offences continued to mount up against the home side as the patience of Sean Davey was tested and the visitors cranked up the pressure.
The ball was won and the pack rumbled forward with Cox the man at the back to touch down to complete an eventful first half for the young flanker. Drahm added the extras to cut the lead.
Home wing Tom Voyce looked to hit back for Wasps immediately with a high up and under but the aerial challenge was brilliantly won by Pennell. Gilles then stole Ward’s lineout throw deep inside Wasps territory before Drahm’s pass put Wood in trouble and the chance went begging.
Wasps turned up the heat before the break but Worcester responded with a high punt from Drahm collected by Will Bowley to set-up one last attack before the half-time whistle.
Worcester and Wasps traded possession early in the second half as both sides looked to take a stranglehold of the second period. The visitors enjoyed some good early ball but could find no way past and Wasps launched a stunning counterattack as Eoin Reddan broke away and took the tackle of Pennell to feed fellow replacement Mark Van Gisbergen who raced who over the bonus point. Cipriani added the extras on offer for a 28-7 lead.
Worcester were trying to keep the Wasps attacks at bay as the half wore on with Cipriani putting them on the back foot with a huge boot up field. Cox helped retrieve the situation with a clever steal and Arr fed Garvey to run the ball away.
Young fly half Joe Carlisle and Chris Fortey entered the battle while Wasps rung the change as the second half wore on to bring on fresh legs and rest some star names.
Lawrence Dallaglio was sent the sin bin to hand Worcester a numerical advantage before Shaun Ruwers and Graham Kitchener were introduced to try and give Warriors the edge in the pack.
The game was held up for a long stoppage with Dave Walder down and carried off after several minutes receiving treatment. But it did not stop Wasps as Simon Shaw crashing over from close range and Cipriani converted try number five of the afternoon for the hosts.
Minutes later Tom Voyce made a break in midfield and raced over as Wasps began to storm away and Van Gisbergen added late polish to the scoreline.
Worcester looked to stage a late rally with Pennell feeding Garvey but he was shunted into touch as he looked to touch down. Pennell then handed off his man but slipped before he reached the line. But the respite was only short lived as Matt Mullan barged over late on.
Timeline:
15m Flutey t Cipriani c 7-0
23m Barnard t Cipriani c 14-0
30m Cipriani t Cipriani c 21-0
36m Cox t Drahm c 21-7
47m Van Gisbergen t Cipriani c 28-7
68m Shaw t Cipriani c 35-7
71m Voyce t Cipriani c 42-7
74m Gisbergen t Cipriani c 49-7
80m Mullan t 49-12
Warriors: 01 Tony Windo (Fortey 57), 02 Matt Mullan, 03 Tevita Taumoepeau (Ruwers 62), 04 Will Bowley, 05 Craig Gillies (Kitchener 67), 06 Tom Wood, 07 Matt Cox, 08 Drew Hickey, 09 Jonny Arr (Runciman 70), 10 Shane Drahm (Carlisle 53), 11 Marcel Garvey, 12 Mark Tucker (Feaunati 73), 13 Rico Gear, 14 Miles Benjamin, 15 Chris Pennell
Replacements: 16 Shaun Ruwers, 17 Chris Fortey, 18 Graham Kitchener, 19 Gavin Quinnell, 20 Joe Carlisle, 21 Nick Runciman, 22 Dominic Feaunati