Warriors slipped to just their second home defeat of the season after being stung by three second-half Wasps tries at Sixways. 

Worcester had an eight-point lead at half-time after two Duncan Weir penalties and a Marco Mama try had cancelled out a Jimmy Gopperth try for Wasps. 

But the away side kicked into gear in the second period and scored tries through Zack Kibirige, Jack Willis and Dan Robson to take the win, despite Ollie Lawrence and Duncan Weir’s best efforts.

The defeat means that Warriors stay in seventh and fall three points behind sixth placed Bath as club rugby takes a two-week break.

Warriors took the lead in the first-half through a Duncan Weir penalty early on but went behind six minutes later when Gopperth scrambled over for Wasps’ opening try.

Weir, who has been called into the Scotland team for the Six Nations opener against Ireland, knocked over another penalty to regain the lead in foggy conditions at Sixways.

Wasps dominated the scrum but could not make it tell on the score board and Worcester began to grow into the game as the clock went into the final ten minutes.

The home side laid siege on the Wasps line for what seemed like an eternity and numerous penalties were awarded before Marco Mama finally went over for the try to give Warriors a 13-5 lead at the half-way stage.

Wasps started the second-half brightly and two penalties from soon-to-be Warriors fly-half Billy Searle cut the deficit to just two points.

Weir extended the lead back to five with a penalty of his own but Wasps responded thanks to a Zach Kibirige try after a clever kick through from the impressive Gopperth.

With the scores level and the tension growing, penalties were coming thick and fast and after a Wasps infringement at a breakdown, Weir kicked his third penalty of the afternoon to nudge back in front.

Continuing with the back and forth nature of the game, the lead again changed hands. Wasps’ Jack Willis gathered the ball from a five-metre line-out to crash over from close range and give Wasps a four-point lead.

Weir maintained his 100% record from the tee moments after to put the scores at 26-23 with just over ten minutes to play.

But, unfortunately for Warriors, the moment of the match was the decisive one and it was Wasps’ scrum-half Dan Robson who scored it.

Zack Kibirige was the architect as he received a pass on his own half-way line and proceeded to run with it, chip it over Tom Howe and gather it all before offloading inside to Robson, who galloped over for a brilliant score. The conversion was added from Searle and Wasps were four points up with just eight to go.  

Warriors had chances to steal the win in the final moments but following a close range line-out, Wasps managed to turn the ball over and kick the ball out for a big bonus-point win.

Worcester take a losing bonus-point from the match but it was a night where either side could have won the game and Warriors fans were left frustrated.

The team now have a two week break from rugby as the Six Nations takes centre stage. Warriors' next game is against Bath in two weeks’ time.

RUN OF PLAY 

PEN 13 Weir 3-0

TRY 18 Gopperth 3-5

PEN 32 Weir 6-5

TRY 40 Mama 11-5

CON 40 Weir 13-5

PEN 45 Searle 13-8

PEN 50 Searle 13-11

PEN 55 Weir 16-11

TRY 58 Kibirigie 16-16

PEN 63 Weir 19-16

TRY 65 Willis 19-21 

CON 66 Searle 19-23

TRY 69 Lawrence 24-23 

CON 70 Weir 26-23

TRY 73 Robson 26-28

CON 74 Searle 26-30