WORCESTER Warriors Women were undone by an efficient Wasps Ladies side as they went down 40-3 away from home on Saturday afternoon.

It was a chastening afternoon for Worcester who were frustrated by a stern Wasps defence and a clinical attack, who scored six tries in total.

Worcester had started the game brightly and spent much of it on the front foot before they went ahead through a Sarah Nicholas penalty.

The visitors continued to dominate the ball and probed away at the Wasps defence but the hosts dug their heels in and held off the early surge.

The first try came in the 25th minute after a Wasps five metre line out provided the platform for the backs to shift the ball wide to front-row forward Maud Muir who carried it over the line to put Wasps ahead.

Five minutes later the hosts doubled their lead as prop Elizabeth Crake made her way through Worcester’s defence after a chaotic phase in play, finding the line to the left of the posts.

Wasps went into the break 11 points ahead of the opposition but it took just a minute of the second-half to pass before the lead was stretched further as Muir crossed for her second of the game.

The bonus-point was secured on the 44th minute when winger Celia Quansah scored in the corner and after a fourth successive conversion from Megan Jones, the score was now 28-3 and the game all but done for Worcester.

Warriors' continued to try and get something from the fixture but the defensive effort from the hosts was again on show and they held out once more.

The try of the game came next as Wasps full-back Abby Dow collected a clearing kick from Worcester in her own half and proceeded to run it back with intent, weaving through defenders on her way to the line as she proved too quick for the rest.

With the game coming to an end there was time for one more try as Wasps put the icing on the cake through a solo score from Sarah Mitchelson, who danced over from 10 metres out.

Worcester's director of rugby Jo Yapp admits it was a frustrating afternoon but insists there are signs of improvement.

"It was a tough day," she said.

"We fronted up really well in that first-half and we were in the game coming into that second but you can't afford to take your foot off the gas like we did against a side like Wasps who capitalised and scored a quick couple of tries and made it really hard for us to get back into it.

"I can't fault the effort of the girls but we need to be a bit smarter when we get hold of the ball.

"Territory is always key, we had a fair amount of the ball in the first-half and then in the second we couldn't get the ball in their half and that was down to some ill-discipline and some unforced errors.

"There are always positives and I can never fault their effort but there are areas we need to tighten up on and we will do that this week."