BBC SPORT | WALES | Wales inspired by Williams

Japan 10-64 Wales
Hanazono Ground, Osaka

Four tries from wing Shane Williams helped Wales to a huge win against Japan in the heat of Osaka.

The tourists had lost their opening match against Japan's premier club side, Suntory, and struggled to beat a Select XV but put all that behind them as they ran riot in the first half against Japan.

Williams equalled the Wales Test try-scoring record - jointly held by Willie Llewellyn, Reggie Gibbs, Maurice Richards, Ieuan Evans and Nigel Walker - but the foundation was laid by the Welsh forwards.

Bath flanker Gavin Thomas worked tirelessly to win the ball, while Swansea No 8 Geraint Lewis was at the heart of Wales' best passages of play.

Scorers

Japan (0) 10:
Tries: Vaturei, Ito.

Wales (52) 64:
Tries: Gareth Thomas, M Jones, Morgan 2, Lloyd, Williams 4, Durston. Cons: Stephen Jones 7.

Gareth Thomas, who has scored freely against Japan in the past, set the ball rolling after just four minutes when Wales opted for a quick tap-and-go that found the Bridgend centre on the overlap.

Fly-half Stephen Jones added the conversion and made no mistake soon after when his Llanelli team-mate, winger Mark Jones, opened his Wales account after Lewis' chip had caught the Japan defence flat-footed.

Japan were clearly rocked at 14-0 down but fought back to pin Wales on their own five metre line, only for a knock-on to hand a scrum to Wales.

Speedy

Stephen Jones spun the ball back to Morgan as everyone waited for a clearing kick to touch.

But the Swansea fullback had other ideas, jinking past two Japan defenders before launching the ball upfield and setting off in pursuit.

Japan were caught cold and Morgan raced almost the full length of the field before gathering the ball for a try under the posts, Stephen Jones making it 21-0 to Wales with the conversion.

Williams touches down for one of four tries
Japan's heads dropped and Wales took full advantage, running in a further five tries - through flanker Andy Lloyd, Williams (twice), Morgan again, and centre Adrian Durston - before half-time.

Japan hit back in the second half with two tries through lock Luantangi Vaturei and flanker Takeomi Ito but having trailed 52-0 at the interval they had left themselves far too much to do.

Williams claimed two more tries in the second half as the Neath flyer's pace continued to embarrass a supposedly speedy Japan backline.

The heat and humidity ensured that Wales could not match their first-half heroics but coach Lyn Howells will be well pleased with his young side's performance.

However, skipper Andy Moore limped off late in the first half with a thigh injury and it remains to be seen if the lock forward has sustained any serious damage.

Teams

Wales: K Morgan; M Jones, A Durston, G Thomas, S Williams; S Jones, G Cooper; C Anthony, A Lewis, I Thomas, C Quinnell, A Moore (capt), A Lloyd, G Thomas, G Lewis.
Replacements: S Jones, B Evans, N Budgett, J Ringer, D Peel, G Henson, J Robinson

Japan: Matsuada; Kurihara, Motoki, Oto, Tuidoraki; Onishi, Murata; Hasegatawa, Sakata (capt), Toyoama, Vaturei, Tanuma, Ito, Sugawara, Saito.
Replacements: Yamamura, Kato, Kubo, Yamamoto, Sonoada, Iawabuchi, Namba


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