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CARDIFF - Wales got a confidence-boosting hit out with a 72-18 win over Japan and nine days to prepare for their must-win World Cup rugby match against Fiji.
The Welsh had earned a bonus point by halftime today when fullback Kevin Morgan crossed out wide in the 40th minute for their fourth try and a 29-11 lead at the break.
Halfback Michael Phillips scored a try two minutes into the second half, and set up Shane Williams to celebrate his 50th test cap by joining Ieuan Evans at No 2 on Wales' all-time tryscoring list with his 33rd touchdown.
That started a scoring procession, with another five tries in the second half and 11 in all, as - flanker Martyn Williams and winger Shane Williams crossed for late doubles.
Shane Williams scored his second in the last minute to move into outright second place on the Welsh all-time list, behind only injured captain Gareth Thomas.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins made 11 changes to the side who lost 20-32 to Australia last weekend, which virtually consigned his squad to a battle for second place in group B.
Wales now must beat Fiji in Nantes on September 30 (NZT) to advance to the quarterfinals and a likely showdown with South Africa.
"It was a job well done tonight. We scored 11 tries and wracked up 70 points. There was a lot of pleasing things," Jenkins said.
All 30 players in the Wales squad have had game time against either Canada, Australia or Japan.
"We're a happy camp. We're pretty positive and we go back to France with our heads up," Jenkins said.
"We've got Fiji next. If we can do what we want to do there, we've got a quarterfinal and we need all players in good form."
Wales have got recovery time on their side, too, with Fiji facing two-time champions Australia in Montpellier on Monday morning (NZT).
The Japanese, out of contention after a 3-91 opening loss to Australia and a 31-35 defeat to Fiji, twice held the lead in the first half and showed signs of enterprising attack.
But coach John Kirwan said 27 missed tackles and seven turnovers at the breakdown "really hurt us".
"It's good for the development of this team to play against Wales, because if you make a mistake, they'll punish it," New Zealander Kirwan said.
"It's important to take those lessons forward for the game against Canada, which is our most important game at this World Cup.
"It'll be a positive World Cup if we finish with a win."
After Shotaro Onishi's long-range penalty made it 3-0 for Japan in the fourth minute, Wales' opening score came with a fair element of luck.
Morgan kicked into an onrushing defender and the ball ricocheted toward Japan's tryline. Stephen Jones regathered and passed to Daffyd James, who drew two defenders on an angled run and unloaded for an unmarked Alun-Wyn Jones to cross on the right.
Japan countered with a length-of-the-field try in the 19th minute to go ahead 8-7.
Lock Hitoshi Ono swooped on a loose ball just inside his own left corner flag and rushed upfield before finding first five-eighth Bryce Robins in support. The ball went through midfielders Onishi and Yuta Imamura before Kosuke Endo dived over in the right corner.
The cushion was shortlived.
Jones landed a penalty and then converted James Hook's try within a minute as the Welsh rallied.
Hook crossed in the 24th on the break from a Japan turnover, shaping to pass inside, but dummying and brushing off a defender in an individual charge down the left flank.
Hooker Thomas Rhys Thomas earned his first international try when he burrowed over in the 31st minute, and Morgan crossed in injury time.
Two minutes into the second half, Phillips shrugged off a tackler after a well worked lineout move and touched down beside the goalposts.
He set up Shane Williams' try in the 48th minute when he chipped ahead, regathered and stepped through a tackle before sending a diving, floating pass to the wing.
The other Wales winger, James, reached over after smart leadup work by Jones in the 53rd, before his opposite Hirotoki Onazawa pulled down an intercept and ran almost 60m to notch Japan's second try and make the score 48-18.
It was all Wales after that, with replacement halfback Gareth Cooper stretching over out wide before the two Williams, Martyn and Shane, rounded off the scoring.
- AP
