Jenkins and Lynagh

Wales thrashes Japan 64-15

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Posted: Saturday October 09, 1999 07:35 PM

Japan's Patiliai Tuidraki (left) first half try cut Wales' lead to 11. AP

CARDIFF, Wales (CNN/SI) -- 911 is not just an emergency number.

On Saturday Neil Jenkins equaled Michael Lynagh's record when he converted a try by Gareth Thomas in the 75th minute to become the joint top pointscorer in the history of rugby tests.

The Welshman's take of 19 points was enough to equal the record and to help lead Wales to a 64-15 victory over Japan in their World Cup Group D clash at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but not enough to break the record.

But the 28-year-old Cardiff flyhalf could have gone one step further had Wales opted to take shots at goal from penalties awarded in the first half. It means he'll have to wait until Thursday's game against Samoa to break the record.

And Shane Howarth set up the try of the tournament and then crossed for a five-pointer himself as Wales ran in nine tries against two to extend it's winning sequence to 10 tests and set a Welsh World Cup record score.

Jenkins, who before the game said he'd prefer for Wales to score five tries and win than he break the record and lose, avoided the waiting media following the match. Welsh coach Graham Henry said Jenkins needed a massage for some bumps and bruises he picked up during the game.

Henry said apart from 20 minutes at the end of the game when "we tried to get a bit too fancy", Wales played with the intensity it lacked in the 23-18 win against Argentina in last Friday's World Cup opener.

"We played very well for 60 minutes with the tempo and pace we haven't been able to produce in recent matches," said Henry. "I think it was a good performance in general."

Japan captain Andrew McCormick said he was impressed with the way Wales approached the game.

"They were able to maintain the ball through four or five phases and we ran out of defenders," he said. "We tried to play a quick game today ... it's alright to play a fast game but you have to keep the ball as well and we couldn't do that today."

Scott Gibbs finished off a spectacular length-of-the-field try six minutes after halftime as Wales extended its lead from 26-15 to 33-15.

Howarth started the movement deep in his own quarter when he took a quick tap from a mark. The former All Blacks fullback passed the ball to replacement winger Gareth Thomas, who ran in and out of the defense in a 50 meter burst before switching the ball inside to Howarth, who lobbed a pass to an unmarked Gibbs on the right side.

Howarth scored his try from a quick penalty tap seven meters out in the 57th minute after the Japanese defense infringed offside as the relentless Welsh attack swung into a fifth phase.

Jenkins converted both tries as Wales extended its lead to 43-15 and when Mark Taylor scored in the 61st minute, the flyhalf notched the conversion to bring up Wales' 50.

Replacement scrumhalf David Llewellyn scored less than 10 minutes after replacing skipper Rob Howley when he took a quick tap from close range in the 69th minute and dived over near the posts.

Jenkins added his seventh conversion from eight attempts to make the score 57-15 and then converted Thomas' try to finish the game with 911 points in internationals.

Wales crossed for four tries in the opening half but Japan hit back through its pacy wingers to post two tries and reduce the margin to 26-15 at halftime.

Earlier, Allan Bateman opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

Bateman, who was replaced by Thomas just before halftime with the recurrence of a toe injury, came off the blind wing and screamed onto a delayed pass from Jenkins before bursting through two tackles and crossing under the posts.

Jenkins converted to make the score 7-0 before Howley crashed over in the right corner in the tackles of opposite number Graeme Bachop and No. 8 Jamie Joseph after darting around from the back of a maul from five meters out.

Jenkins' conversion was waved away and Wales had a 12-0 lead before Japanese right wing Daisuke Ohata used his blistering pace to sprint away from three defenders in a 35-meter race to the right corner in the 18th minute.

Flyhalf Keiji Hirose's conversion from the touchline hit the crossbar and scraped over as Japan reduced Wales' margin to 12-7.

But the Welsh were stung back into attack, scoring a penalty try from a five yard scrum in the 24th minute to make the score 19-7 and again to two minutes later.

Howley played a role in the buildup to the next try as he raced along the right touchline before the ball spread across the field to Howarth, who carried the ball to within meters of the line and unloaded to an unmarked Taylor to score untouched.

The Japanese hit back to reduce the halftime deficit to 11 points when left wing Pat Tuidraki crossed in the right corner, again after some speedy buildup by Ohata, and an injury time penalty goal to Hirose.

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.