Wales thrash Japan in Osaka
June 10, 2001

Neath winger Shane Williams scored four tries as Wales celebrated their 500th Test match with a 64-10 thrashing of Japan on Sunday.

The young Welsh team, who suffered their first-ever defeat to a Japanese
team when they lost 45-41 to national club champions Suntory a week ago,
bounced back to score 59 unanswered points before their hosts ran in two tries of their own.

It was Wales eighth straight win over Japan, including two wins in the 1995
and 1999 World Cups.

Cardiff centre Gareth Thomas opened the scoring for Wales with a try in the
left corner in the fourth minute and from then on it was all one-way traffic.

Williams touched down in the 17th, 37th, 48th minutes and ran in his fourth 18 minutes later, while Swansea fullback Kevin Morgan celebrated his return to test rugby after a two-year absence with a brace of tries.

Llanelli right winger Mark Jones, Andrew Lloyd and Adrian Durston also
helped out in the 10-try demolition, while flyhalf Stephen Jones landed seven conversions.

Down 52-0 at half time, Japan had to wait until 13 minutes into the second
half before they got their first points on the board after Tongan Luatangi
Vatuvei dived over from a ruck close to the Welsh line.

The hosts added another consolation try in the 61st minute through Takeomi
Ito but by then the Welsh were well and truely out of sight.

Wales, who beat Japan A 33-22 in their second match of the tour, take on
the Pacific Barbarians -- a collection of foreign imports playing in Japan --
in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The second Test match takes place in Tokyo on June 17.

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