Alex King produced a masterful display of fly-half play, scoring 24 points to inspire London Wasps to a dominant 39–3 victory over Gloucester in the Zurich Premiership Final at Twickenham, claiming a first Premiership title in the play-off era.
London Wasps were crowned Zurich Premiership champions with a comprehensive 39–3 demolition of Gloucester at Twickenham in front of 42,000 spectators, their first title under the new play-off format.
Fly-half Alex King was the undisputed man of the final, orchestrating everything from No.10 with two penalties, a drop-goal and two conversions in the first half alone. King finished with 24 points — two tries from Josh Lewsey, one from flanker Joe Worsley, three conversions, four penalties and two drop-goals forming a virtuoso catalogue.
Gloucester, who had topped the league for long periods of the regular season under director of rugby Nigel Melville, were strangled by a Wasps defence that barely yielded all afternoon. French fly-half Ludovic Mercier's 27th-minute penalty was the only consolation for a Cherry and White side that had no answer to Wasps' ferocity at the breakdown.
King opened with a composed drop-goal on 14 minutes, a penalty followed, and Wasps were establishing a stranglehold. Gloucester had moments — Andy Gomarsall probed at the base, while James Simpson-Daniel's pace constantly threatened — but they could not convert possession into points.
Josh Lewsey accelerated onto a perfectly weighted Alex King kick just before the break to touch down in the corner, King adding the conversion. That 14–3 half-time advantage could barely do justice to Wasps' dominance.
Joe Worsley was next, bulldozing over from a driving maul five minutes after the re-start, King again converting. A second King drop-goal on 60 minutes — a rasping effort from 35 metres — prompted an appreciative roar from the Wasps faithful, and further penalties extended the lead.
Lewsey ran in his second in the 72nd minute, going unmarked down the left channel after Lawrence Dallaglio's powerful carry created the opening. King converted, and the Wasps captain hoisted the trophy to raucous acclaim.
Wasps director of rugby Warren Gatland said afterwards: "This is an immensely talented squad and they have had a brilliant season. Alex was magnificent today — he controlled the whole game from 10." A year later, they would do it again.