Wales scored 10 tries as they ran riot to record a 68-12 victory over Canada in their first test match of the summer at the Principality Stadium.
This was an impressive performance by Wayne Pivac’s young side who were shorn of 12 first choice players due to injuries and the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. But the Wales coach will be happy with the strength in depth being built ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with a tough test against a strong Argentina side to come next weekend.
There were also five new caps with Ben Carter, Tom Rogers, Gareth Thomas, Taine Basham, and Ben Thomas making their test debuts. But the game was soured by a nasty looking injury to Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny who was stretchered off the field on what was his 100th international cap.
Canada drew first blood when scrum-half Ross Braude took a quickly tapped penalty to put the visitors on the front foot. Braude shifted the ball wide for left-wing Kainoa Lloyd to touch down at the far right-hand corner.
But Wales hit back immediately and Sheedy was the architect with a clean break through the middle. The Bristol star found giant lock Will Rowlands with an inside ball, but the Dragons bound man was brought down just short of the line. Canada proceeded to illegally kill the ball at the breakdown, but Wales took it quickly with Tomos Williams touching down for the try.
Wales were now in the ascendency and a break from Nick Tompkins sent squad captain Jonathan Davies galloping up the touchline. The Scarlets centre proceeded to draw in the final defender to send openside flanker James Botham over for the try. Jonah Holmes, who moved from the wing to full-back after Halfpenny’s injury, was next to score after some lovely handling put him over at the corner for his first international try.
The hosts lay siege to the Canadian try line and claimed their fourth try when Ospreys prop Nicky Smith smashed his way over the line, before Elliot Dee did the same a few minutes later to score their fifth. Wales’ forwards had a field day with Dragons bound second-row Will Rowland’s running in unopposed from 20 metres out, with Sheedy converting meaning the hosts led 40-5 at the interval.
Pivac’s side began the second-half in the same manner they finished the first with a well-worked try for scrum-half Williams to score his second. It was to be a try on his test debut for Basham who finished at the corner following a terrific pass from his captain Davies, with Sheedy converting from the touchline.
And Basham was soon celebrating his second try when he touched down following a powerful driving lineout by the hosts, with Thomas also celebrating his first international points after a tremendous touchline conversion. To their credit Canada refused to throw in the towel and their full back Cooper Coats hit a great angle to score on his test debut.
But Wales finished on a high with Holmes claiming his second try thanks to a nice pass from Thomas who also added the extras.
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