Wales send Six Nations warning

Ruddock's boys run in ninety-eight points with awesome display

Wales trounced Japan 98-0 with a superb all-round team display at the Millennium Stadium on Friday.

The win was the biggest in the principality's famous history, beating their previous record margin - 91 points in the 102-11 win over Portugal in 1994 - by seven points.

Captain Colin Charvis and centre Gavin Henson also set new records: by scoring the most tries by a Welsh forward in one match, and the most successful conversions in a test match respectively.

For the Japanese, it was the harshest of learning experiences, especially on the back of the 100-8 defeat to Scotland and the narrow defeat to Romania.

Wales, however, turned in a superlative display, and have fired a clear warning ahead of their next match: the Six Nations opener against World Champions England in February.

Wales toyed with their opponents throughout the game. Charvis apart, there was a hat-trick for centre Tom Shanklin, while wing Shane Williams (2), full-back Rhys Williams (2), hooker Mefin Davies, scrum-half Gareth Cooper and prop Gethin Jenkins also touched down.

Mike Ruddock not only got the performance he wished, but also the crowd. 56,000 people were at the game, taking the aggregate attendance for the November tests to over 220,000, underlining the renewed belief flooding back into the nation's rugby people.

Lock Brent Cockbain suffered a side strain during the warm-up, and was replaced by Michael Owen, who moved from the back-row. Ryan Jones started at number eight.

Wales ran in three tries in the opening ten minutes. The first, after just four minutes, was clinical.

Japanese full-back Ryohei Miki made a hash of gathering the ball inside his own 22, and after gaining little distance with the clearance, Wales drove a lineout to the tryline and Charvis stretched over to score.

Henson slotted the angled conversion, and Wales struck again just two minutes later when full-back Williams danced his way through to touch down between the posts.

Japan, despite a break-out led by flanker Feletiliki Mau, found themselves retreating again in the ninth minute as Wales split their defence wide open.

Shane Williams caused the initial damage 60 metres out, and although the supporting Henson could probably have scored himself, he unselfishly allowed Charvis his second try, and Wales, assisted by Henson's third conversion, led 21-0.

Wales hooker Mefin Davies claimed the fourth on the quarter-hour mark, after Charvis was stopped inches short of his hat-trick.

Shane Wiliams was the constant thorn in the Japanese side, and after another counter-attack led by him, Tom Shanklin touched down for the first of his brace.

Wales' only evident problem was their own over-eagerness at times, yet Shanklin soon added his second touchdown and Charvis completed an easy hat-trick, making it 49-0 with Japan still nowhere near the sanctuary of half-time.

Gethin Jenkins rumbled over for Wales' eighth try, again converted by the immaculate Henson, to take Wales past the half-century mark four minutes before the break.

Charvis had his fourth, and the record, within four minutes of the restart, but the Japanese finally managed to string some possession together thereafter, keeping the hosts scoreless for a whole ten minutes.

Cooper darted through a gap for the tenth try, and Shane Williams finally got the try his tireless running deserved shortly afterwards.

Shanklin completed his try 13 minutes from the end, and Shane Williams bagged his second with five minutes left.

Rhys Williams ran in a beauty from over 60 metres to take Wales within one score of the century, but Kevin Morgan's last-minute effort was disallowed for a knock-on.

The scorers:

For Wales:
Tries: Charvis 4, Shanklin 3, S. Williams 2, R. Williams 2, Cooper, Jenkins, M.Davies.
Cons: Henson 14