As the home side warmed up for the forthcoming Six Nations A Championship, there was nothing found wanting in the endeavour of their forwards. With power bursting onto the field at every opportunity from the pack the South Americans found themselves on the end of a ten-try hiding as Wales A’s backs were given the platform to fire attack upon attack on the Uruguayan line.
Only indiscipline and a tendency to slow up by Wales A allowed Uruguay back into the match and a more focussed performance in the final third of the action may have seen the result more akin to a cricket score.
Andy Williams at scrum-half opened the scoring for Wales A, running fifteen metres from the base of an attacking scrum. Jamie Ringer and Martyn Madden both ensured that the forwards were on the scoresheet with similar line-out, drive and crash-over tries near the Uruguayan line. Matthew Watkins was a constant danger to Uruguay, his power and pace ran them ragged and his endeavour was rewarded with a try.
Gavin Henson excelled at full-back at the Arms Park, and after Shane Williams had delivered the ball to Martyn Madden from inside his own 22 during the first half, the prop’s deft pass to Henson ensured he scored the try of the opening forty minutes in the far corner.
Lee Jarvis ran the show from fly-half, the No.10 putting in an impressive and assured performance from the boot and bagging a try in the process as the pack mounted a permanent assault on the Uruguayan forwards to ensure he had a trouble-free day pulling the strings and orchestrating play.
40-9 at half time the best Uruguay could muster in the first half were two penalties and a drop goal from Diego Aguirre and fly-half Sierra respectively. Aguirre added another two penalties after the break as the South Americans attempted to get back into the match whilst hooker De los Santos was able to score a try just after the restart, but as fatigue entered the equation the difference between amateur and professional began to tell and Wales A’s fitness came to the fore.
Shane Williams was on hand with a brace of tries to push Wales A even further forward with Lee Jarvis adding another and Chris Anthony also putting a try on the scoresheet. Nicky Robinson was introduced to the match to gain match experience with Wales A’s only black note, the sin-binning of Nathan Bonner-Evans; yellow-carded for a binding offence in the scrum, and allowing Uruguay some respite, for ten minutes at least, from a full fifteen man Wales A assault.
