Fly-half Ceri Sweeney enjoyed a personal haul of eighteen points including one of the five Welsh tries against a disjointed Islanders side, whose backs gifted Wales two interception tries.
All five Welsh tries came from the backs as Mark Jones, James Hook, Kevin Morgan, Lee Byrne and Sweeney all crossed the line. This was Wales’s first win since beating Scotland on February 12 and it was a second-string side who saw off the guests.
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After the dragon showed it had fire in its belly by fighting back to draw 29-all with Australia last weekend, Wales coach Gareth Jenkins unleashed his B-team on the Islanders.
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The Islanders are still without a win on the international stage having lost their inaugural tests in 2004 against southern hemisphere giants Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
As expected, the Islanders made their physical presence felt as both centre James Hook and No.10 Ceri Sweeney were left pole-axed by some robust tackling early on. The Islanders No.8 Hale T-Pole wiped out Hook with a late high tackle and Sweeney punished him with a penalty after five minutes to give Wales a
3-0 lead.
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The home side kept up the pressure but Hook knocked on just short of the try-line and scrum-half Mike Phillips was held up having burrowed his way over. The pressure finally told when the ball was worked wide to Llanelli Scarlets winger Mark Jones, who brushed off two would-be tacklers, flirted with the touchline and touched down. Sweeney landed the conversion as Wales went 10-0 up with 16 minutes played.
As the Islanders’ pack won some quick ruck ball, Hook intercepted the pass from their No.10 Tisi Pisi and sprinted away for his first home Welsh try. Sweeney’s conversion took the score to 17-0 with Wales in full control.
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A copy book try came on the half-hour as Sweeney drew in the defence and put Sonny Parker in the position to give full-back Kevin Morgan the opportunity to score his 11th test try. Sweeney’s conversion made it 24-0.
The guests were rewarded for their pressure when prop Justin Va’a broke down the blindside from a line-out and managed to touch down, despite a double tackle, making the score 24-5. Yet the wayward pass from Seilala Mapasua was intercepted by Byrne who scored under the posts as Sweeney landed the conversion on the stroke of half-time.
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Mapasua made amends straight after the break when he broke down the blind-side and found the defence absent for his side’s second try, bringing the tally back to 31-10. However, a Parker pass put winger Jones away with only a tap tackle flooring him with the line at his mercy and he popped the ball to a grateful Sweeney to score.
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Sweeney added the two points, which was followed by Pisi gaining a penalty for the Islanders. Ratuvou went over for a try making it 38-20 going into the final quarter. With both teams unable to extend their totals any further, Wales secured a win for the first time in nine months.
