WALES OUTPOWER CANADA

Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community Published 6:06 pm 11th Jun 2005 post

CANADA 3 WALES 60

Wales’ young-guns kept the heat on Mike Ruddock’s missing stars with a scorching performance to see off Canada 60-3 in the searing heat and sun of Toronto’s York Stadium. The Grand Slam champions, with 11 players on Lions duty, followed up last week’s rout of the USA Eagles with a record nine-try win over the Super Cup holders.

And it was the performance of Wales’ wealth of newcomers that would have left coach Ruddock smiling, with debutant teenage winger Chris Czekaj and rookie prop Ben Broster both grabbing tries in the near 100 degree heat.

Captain Mark Taylor got the ball rolling as he finished off a well worked Welsh move on 14 minutes to add to Ceri Sweeney’s earlier penalty. And although Canada full-back Derek Daypuck managed to open the hosts’ scoring with a 17th minute penalty, Wales reasserted their authority when Colin Charvis was driven over from a line-out to grab his 20th try for his country and leave him joint with the legendary Gareth Edwards and Gerald Davies in Wales’ record try scorers list.

Tempers boiled over just before the break as rival locks Robert Sidoli and Luke Tait were sent to the sin bin for exchanging blows but Wales kept cool heads after the interval as Broster barged his way over within five minutes on his first start.

Ospreys flanker Jon Thomas followed that up with a try of his own ten minutes later as Canada began to wilt in the heat with Wales stretching the defence to its limits. Czekaj danced over three minutes later to complete a remarkable debut for the 19-year-old before full-back Kevin Morgan got in on the act when he raced clear on 66 minutes.

Thomas completed his brace as he dived over from close range on 70 minutes before Alix Popham completed the rout in similar style three minutes from time. Ruddock was left beaming by the nine-try display and was quick to praise the young guns who have come through on the summer excursion.

Ruddock hailed the six debutants who have fitted right into the Grand Slam Champions’ style over the two record-breaking wins, but he did admit Wales found it tougher in Toronto than last week’s 11-try stroll in Hartford. He said: “It was a tougher battle than the USA, the pitch as narrower, there was a lot of wind around and they were a tough team. They were well drilled and they fronted up in the first half.

“But we took control straight away and we came through it. It wraps up what has been a very positive tour for us – we’ve given out six new caps, scored well over 100 points and not conceded a try and that just shows the desire and team spirit we have here.

“What pleases me is that whenever we bringing in a new player they slot right into the system. Scott Johnson has been brilliant with the skills and all the young players have benefited from being around the senior players.”

Try-scoring skipper Mark Taylor was just as happy after the record score against the Canucks. He said: “It was extremely tough, especially in the first half. The wind was very strong out there and the temperatures were very high.

“They came at us like we knew they would but they committed too many errors and we responded well.

“The way we came out in the second half just shows the spirit we have in this squad is fantastic. The effort on this tour has been top notch and to concede just three points in each game is brilliant.

“Considering we have 11 players away, the boys coming through have been superb and it shows what we’ve got in this squad.”

CANADA
Derek Daypuck (Simon Pacey 65)
Quentin Fyfee
Matt King
John Canon
Stirling Richmond
Ryan Smith
Morgan Williams (Pat Fleck 24-37, 75)
Kevin Tckachuk (Cpt)
Aaron Abrams (Pat Dunkley 46)
Garth Cooke
Luke Tait
Jamie Cudmore (Josh Jackson 46)
Mike Webb
Stan McKeen
Colin Yukes

Replacements:
Dan Pletch
Forrest Gainer
Ed Fairhurst

WALES
Kevin Morgan
Rhys Williams
Mark Taylor (Cpt) (Matthew J Watkins 56)
Ceri Sweeney
Chris Czekaj
Nick Robinson (Matthew Jones 67)
Mike Phillips (Andy Williams 75)
Duncan Jones (John Yapp 43)
Rhys Thomas (Mefin Davies 65)
Ben Broster
Luke Charteris (Brent Cockbain 56)
Robert Sidoli
Jon Thomas
Colin Charvis (Robin Sowden-Taylor 56)
Alix Popham