Wales 42 Canada 17
Wales forgot to set thier alarm for this match, letting Canada dictate terms for almost the first hour of this match, read on....
NANTES: Wales had to call on the experience of captain Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones coming off the bench on Sunday to repel Canada and record a 42-17 victory in the second group B match at La Beaujoire on Sunday.
Canada were 17-9 ahead close to the hour after three unanswered tries before Wales at last showed some true attacking flair. Wing Shane Williams went over twice in a spell of total Welsh dominance midway through the second half and Jones converted all but one of the five Welsh tries.
The Welsh fight-back began with centre Sonny Parker touching down near the posts after a break went right then left, disorientating the defence. Jones, on from the 50th minute for James Hook, converted to put the Welsh one point behind.
They went ahead when Canada's Ander Munro fumbled a kick out of defence under the posts and Alun-Wyn Jones went over for a try.
Williams's brace, both at the end of movements involving penetrating runs by substitute fullback Thomas, was followed by another try by replacement back-row forward Colin Charvis, another member of the Welsh old guard.
Canada finished on a strong note, twice pinning the Welsh on their line in the final minutes but unable to breach it and add to their three tries. Canada had led 12-9 at half-time following following an 80-metre intercept try by centre Craig Culpan four minutes before the interval.
- Elsewhere, Argentina's upset of France deserves the reward of admission into an expanded Tri Nations, Australian Rugby Union supremo John O'Neill has said.
But O'Neill confirmed it could not occur until 2011 at the earliest, when the SANZAR broadcasting deal expires.
