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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Wales 61-26 Canada | Wales 61-26 Canada |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Wales warmed up for the All Blacks with a nine-try win over outclassed Canada at a packed Millennium Stadium. | Wales warmed up for the All Blacks with a nine-try win over outclassed Canada at a packed Millennium Stadium. |
| The home side shrugged off Gavin Henson's injury withdrawal with scores from Gareth Thomas, Shane Williams and Matt Rees, plus a penalty try. | The home side shrugged off Gavin Henson's injury withdrawal with scores from Gareth Thomas, Shane Williams and Matt Rees, plus a penalty try. |
| Canada's part-timers tired as Dwayne Peel, Jon Thomas (2), Ceri Sweeney and Tom Shanklin went over after the break, James Hook impressing with 16 points. | Canada's part-timers tired as Dwayne Peel, Jon Thomas (2), Ceri Sweeney and Tom Shanklin went over after the break, James Hook impressing with 16 points. |
| But the brave Canucks never gave up, Dan Pletch and Mike Pyke getting tries. | But the brave Canucks never gave up, Dan Pletch and Mike Pyke getting tries. |
| Henson withdrew before kick-off with a toe infection that could put his place against New Zealand next week at risk, Sonny Parker stepping in. | Henson withdrew before kick-off with a toe infection that could put his place against New Zealand next week at risk, Sonny Parker stepping in. |
| Canada - missing their leading European-based stars - showed no nerves in front of the 74,022 crowd, the largest in their history, and opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty from Bedford wing James Prichard. | Canada - missing their leading European-based stars - showed no nerves in front of the 74,022 crowd, the largest in their history, and opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty from Bedford wing James Prichard. |
| We showed glimpses of the form that means we can beat New Zealand next week Shane Williams class="pbl" href="/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6159792.stm">More Wales reaction | |
| Wales fired straight back with an extended attack and, when a Canada clearance kick was charged down, recycled ball came to Hook, making his first outside-half start for Wales. | Wales fired straight back with an extended attack and, when a Canada clearance kick was charged down, recycled ball came to Hook, making his first outside-half start for Wales. |
| The Ospreys star put through a deft grubber kick and Gareth Thomas - winning his 90th cap - beat Prichard to the touchdown to extend his Wales try record to 37. | The Ospreys star put through a deft grubber kick and Gareth Thomas - winning his 90th cap - beat Prichard to the touchdown to extend his Wales try record to 37. |
| A second Prichard penalty followed from the restart before man-of-the-match Shane Williams made the most of a half-chance. | A second Prichard penalty followed from the restart before man-of-the-match Shane Williams made the most of a half-chance. |
| The Wales wing ghosted through the forwards in Canada's midfield defence and stepped two covering defenders to touch down under the posts. | The Wales wing ghosted through the forwards in Canada's midfield defence and stepped two covering defenders to touch down under the posts. |
| Prichard kicked a third penalty, but Hook again tore the Canucks defence apart with a beautiful flip pass to Martyn Williams deep in his own half. | Prichard kicked a third penalty, but Hook again tore the Canucks defence apart with a beautiful flip pass to Martyn Williams deep in his own half. |
| The flanker linked up with Peel, who sent Rees on a 15-yard run to the line for his first Wales score. | The flanker linked up with Peel, who sent Rees on a 15-yard run to the line for his first Wales score. |
| Canada struggled to contain the flair of Wales' play | Canada struggled to contain the flair of Wales' play |
| Derek Daypuck responded with a well-taken drop-goal, but Wales spurned an easy goal kick for a scrum and were rewarded with a penalty try as their front row destroyed the Maple Leaves on the stroke of half-time. | Derek Daypuck responded with a well-taken drop-goal, but Wales spurned an easy goal kick for a scrum and were rewarded with a penalty try as their front row destroyed the Maple Leaves on the stroke of half-time. |
| A well-worked line-out caught the visitors cold early in the second half, Jon Thomas taking a long throw and feeding Peel, who blasted untouched through a yawning gap in the Canada forwards for the fifth try. | A well-worked line-out caught the visitors cold early in the second half, Jon Thomas taking a long throw and feeding Peel, who blasted untouched through a yawning gap in the Canada forwards for the fifth try. |
| The tiring Canucks were warned for negative play as both Gareth Thomas and Mark Jones lost the ball on crossing the try line. | The tiring Canucks were warned for negative play as both Gareth Thomas and Mark Jones lost the ball on crossing the try line. |
| Jon Thomas proved more clinical with a brace inside two minutes, his support of Dwayne Peel's scrum-five break bringing the first. | Jon Thomas proved more clinical with a brace inside two minutes, his support of Dwayne Peel's scrum-five break bringing the first. |
| Parker sparked a sweeping Wales attack from the restart that ended with Mark Jones sending Thomas in at the corner, Hook's narrowly missed conversion his only failure of the night. | Parker sparked a sweeping Wales attack from the restart that ended with Mark Jones sending Thomas in at the corner, Hook's narrowly missed conversion his only failure of the night. |
| SCRUM V VIEW Wales need to find people other than Ryan Jones and Shanklin willing to break the gain line Freezin_in_Canada Scrum V: Have your say | SCRUM V VIEW Wales need to find people other than Ryan Jones and Shanklin willing to break the gain line Freezin_in_Canada Scrum V: Have your say |
| Canada came back bravely, Stan McKeen nearly crossing after a series of strong forward drives before replacement Pletch picked up for a short-range try. | Canada came back bravely, Stan McKeen nearly crossing after a series of strong forward drives before replacement Pletch picked up for a short-range try. |
| Wales rang the changes and replacement Sweeney crossed from a well-weighted Shane Williams pass. | Wales rang the changes and replacement Sweeney crossed from a well-weighted Shane Williams pass. |
| But back came the visitors, wing Pyke crashing over from an inside pass. | But back came the visitors, wing Pyke crashing over from an inside pass. |
| The Canucks stayed adventurous to the end, but Prichard's quickly taken drop-out 22 and ambitious pass was spotted by Shanklin, who intercepted for an easy run-in for the final try. | The Canucks stayed adventurous to the end, but Prichard's quickly taken drop-out 22 and ambitious pass was spotted by Shanklin, who intercepted for an easy run-in for the final try. |
| The sides' next meeting is their opening fixture at next year's World Cup, and while Wales will be confident they know that Canada will battle to the death. | |
| Wales: Gareth Thomas (Toulouse, capt); Mark Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys).Replacements: Rhys Thomas (Blues), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Robert Sidoli (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Michael Phillips (Blues), Ceri Sweeney (Dragons), Lee Byrne (Scarlets). | Wales: Gareth Thomas (Toulouse, capt); Mark Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets); Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Dragons), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys).Replacements: Rhys Thomas (Blues), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Robert Sidoli (Blues), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Michael Phillips (Blues), Ceri Sweeney (Dragons), Lee Byrne (Scarlets). |
| Canada: Ed Fairhurst (Cardiff Blues); Mike Pyke (Edinburgh), Ryan Smith (Montauban), David Spicer (Uni of Victoria), James Prichard (Bedford); Derek Daypuck (Castaway-Wanderers), Morgan Williams (Albi, capt); Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow), Mark Lawson (Velox-Valhallians), Forrest Gainer (Albi), Luke Tait (Overmarch Parma), Mike Burak (Pau), Mike Webb (Castaway-Wanderers), Stan McKeen (Cornish Pirates), Sean-Michael Stephen (Bezier).Replacements: Pat Riordan (Burnaby Lake), Dan Pletch (Oakville Crusaders), Mike Pletch (Oakville Crusaders) Stu Ault (Barrhaven Scottish), Aaron Carpenter (Brantford Harlequins), Ander Monro (Edinburgh), Justin Mensah-Coker (Albi). | Canada: Ed Fairhurst (Cardiff Blues); Mike Pyke (Edinburgh), Ryan Smith (Montauban), David Spicer (Uni of Victoria), James Prichard (Bedford); Derek Daypuck (Castaway-Wanderers), Morgan Williams (Albi, capt); Kevin Tkachuk (Glasgow), Mark Lawson (Velox-Valhallians), Forrest Gainer (Albi), Luke Tait (Overmarch Parma), Mike Burak (Pau), Mike Webb (Castaway-Wanderers), Stan McKeen (Cornish Pirates), Sean-Michael Stephen (Bezier).Replacements: Pat Riordan (Burnaby Lake), Dan Pletch (Oakville Crusaders), Mike Pletch (Oakville Crusaders) Stu Ault (Barrhaven Scottish), Aaron Carpenter (Brantford Harlequins), Ander Monro (Edinburgh), Justin Mensah-Coker (Albi). |
| Att: 74,022 | |
| Referee: Tony Spreadbury (Bristol) |