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September 27, 2011

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Records fall in Wales' big win

SCOTT Williams scored a hat-trick and 19-year-old George North became the youngest-ever World Cup tryscorer as Welsh records also tumbled in their 81-7 Pool D thrashing of Namibia in New Zealand yesterday.

North added a second while Aled Brew, Toby Faletau, Gethin Jenkins, Jonathan Davies, Lloyd Williams, Lee Byrne and Alun Wyn Jones also scored in the 12-try romp at Stadium Taranaki.

Wales broke all their records for points scored, winning margin and most number of tries in a World Cup tie - all set in the 72-18 win over Japan in 2007.

The result also marked the biggest win in Warren Gatland's four-year reign as head coach and lifted Welsh spirits ahead of their crunch final game against Fiji on Sunday.

"We won the game and got the bonus point that we really wanted," said Wales captain Sam Warburton.

"We also got a good scoreline and 12 tries that could prove important if things came down to points difference.

"We were a bit off-color before halftime. Perhaps that was a result of simply trying too hard and playing rugby in the wrong areas of the pitch. But the game broke open in the second half and that suited us."

Namibia was in the wars, replacement Wacca Kazombiaze carried off with a serious knee injury and captain Jacques Burger taken to hospital with a suspected broken jaw.

Painful end

It marked a painful end of a difficult campaign for Namibia, which had to play all four of their games inside 17 days, including facing world champion South Africa and Wales in the space of five days.

"Wales made it very difficult but that is why they are a top class team," said Burger, before heading for treatment.

"They simply blew us away and we couldn't stop them. But I am proud of the effort and heart shown by the players."

Stephen Jones also scored 15 points on the day he became Wales' most capped player in his 101st Test.

The British and Irish Lions flyhalf was on the scoreboard inside three minutes after Namibia conceded a penalty at the game's first scrum.

Wales knew it had to match the bonus point victories of its Pool D rival against Namibia and looked on course to wrap that up by half-time as it stormed into a 22-0 lead after 17 minutes. Williams set it on course with a seven minutes into his first full test start.





 

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