They had the right idea but not unfortunately the composure or the skill to do it and as they frantically re-grouped to mount

They had the right idea but not, unfortunately, the composure or the skill to do it and, as they frantically re-grouped to mount another attack from inside their own half, a loose pass bounced straight into the hands of Kenny Logan, who sped away for his ninth league try in eight appearances to seal victory and the championship.Earlier in this period of frantic defence, Wasps had been saved by Andy Reed's pulverising tackle on Dave Merlin, which saved a certain try under the posts. If Reed had done nothing else for his club this season, that tackle alone was worth a year's win bonus.Wasps have relished the opportunities to display their policy of expansionism throughout this campaign but yesterday's triumph was built on sound defence. If they were often trespassing, the fact is that they got away with it, and good luck to them. The undisputed master of the art was the captain, Lawrence Dallaglio, who not only succeeded in getting underneath the referee's radar but, along with his entire three-quarter line, managed to bamboozle both touch judges into the bargain.In the second half, when Northampton dominated so much of the play, Wasps not only had reason to bless their defence, but they profited from Northampton's unfortunate habit of self-destructing, especially in defensive positions where they almost invariably attempted to run their way out of trouble. They had neither the support for such reckless manoeuvres, nor did they have the kind of blistering pace out wide to catch the opposition off guard.Hepher, although he displayed some neat touches and at times played with great maturity, also betrayed his naivety at critical moments and too often was ensnared by Wasps' street-wise back row. He was not helped by the departure of Gregor Townsend after just 25 minutes. Nor was Northampton's cause aided by the defensive frailty of Ian Hunter, who so often plays like a world-beater for 10 minutes and a duffer for 70.

Yesterday he swallowed up a couple of aimless kicks from his opposite number, Rees, and counter- attacked thrillingly. But then he was afflicted by a loss of concentration, failing wretchedly to tackle Shane Roiser who had taken a long pass from Rees to score Wasps' first try after 26 minutes to give the Londoners the lead.In many ways, it was typical of the difference between the sides. Throughout, Wasps were sharper, better organised and penetrative. Whereas Northampton would build their attacks at no great speed, Wasps' counter-thrusts were conducted at lightning pace. But their triumph has been achieved not by individual stars but by teamwork, and for this reason alone, Wasps deserve their billing as champions.Northampton: I Hunter; N Beal, G Townsend (C Moir, 25), M Allen, H Thorneycroft; A Hepher, M Dawson (capt); M Volland, A Clarke, M Stewart, J Phillips, M Bayfield, S Foale, D Merlin, J Cassell.Wasps: G Rees; S Roiser, N Greenstock, R Henderson, K Logan; A King (J Ufton, 78), M Wood; D Molloy, S Mitchell, W Green, M Greenwood, A Reed (D Cronin, 78), L Dallaglio (capt), C Sheasby, M White.Referee: G Hughes (Manchester)..

Darren Morgan dissolved into tears in the aftermath of his dramatic 13-12 win over Ronnie O'Sullivan which made him a quarter-finalist in the Embassy World Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. The Welsh left-hander, devastated by the death of his mother in November, only recovered his appetite for the game last month when his defence of the Irish Masters ended in a 9-8 defeat by Stephen Hendry on the final black of the tournament. His triumph yesterday caused a long build-up of emotions to erupt. Perhaps after such a bereavement, snooker never seems quite so important again. Certainly, in some strange way, it released the last few inhibitions of Dennis Taylor in 1984 when he won his first major title, the Rothmans Grand Prix, in inspired fashion after his own mother had died only a month earlier.Morgan acknowledged last week that he had become "harder" after the immediate shock had passed.

Aided by some inspiring words from his manager, Ian Doyle, Morgan demonstrated not only his familiar resolution in the face of adversity but also the nerve to clinch a big victory on snooker's most famous stage.The 21-year-old O'Sullivan, whose season has encompassed two titles, two other finals, one abject surrender and two first-round losses to opponents not really in his class, led 9-7 overnight but did not score in yesterday's first two frames as Morgan recorded his third century of the match, 116, and a break of 59.O'Sullivan, whose first-round 147 maximum earned him pounds 165,000 to add to pounds 16,800 prize money, led 10-9 but as he admitted after the defeat: "I wasn't scoring heavily enough in the balls."Making breaks of 61 and 40 helped Morgan regain the lead at 11-10 and, by dramatically doubling the tie-break black, he went two up with three to play. O'Sullivan levelled but Morgan's 84 after a difficult red was the only score in the decider. "Luckily, there was no safety so I had to go for it," he said.Hendry became Morgan's quarter-final opponent after an unexpectedly routine 13-8 win over Mark Williams. The 22-year-old Welshman led 4-1, 6-4 and 8-6 on Friday, but couldn't get started yesterday as the world No 1 extended his Crucible winning streak to 27 matches.Lee Walker, the world No 189, whose 13-10 victory over Alan McManus, twice a semi-finalist, guaranteed him pounds 31,500, a startling increment on the pounds 275 he earned in the whole of last season, acknowledged Morgan's role in his recent improvement "After two years on the circuit I was going nowhere. Darren said he would practise with me and we played every day. "Alain Robidoux, the Cana-dian No 1, became Walker's quarter-final opponent when he cruised through the evening session to beat Stefan Mazrocis, the world No 81 from Leicester, 13- 9.Anthony Hamilton, whose 10-9 defeat of Jimmy White assured him of a place in the elite top 16 next season for the first time, began like a potting machine in establishing a 4-0 lead over the 1991 world champion, John Parrott, with breaks of 46, 43, 50, 63, 94 and 117. Parrott, who had scored only nine points thus far, responded in similar vein with runs of 66, 66, 88 and 86 to start their middle session tonight level at 4-4..