ROME, 13 February 2005 — Wales made it two wins out of two in the Six Nations when they combined forward power, intelligent running and clinical finishing to overwhelm Italy 38-8 in the Stadio Flaminio yesterday.
It is the first time for 11 years that Wales have won their first two games of the championship and the success came at a canter following last week’s tight 11-9 win over England in Cardiff.
Wales lost this fixture in Rome two years ago but have improved beyond measure since then and swept away a ragged Italian side who looked a shadow of the team who impressed in defeat by Ireland last week. Wales earned the right to play with a committed forward display and their highly-rated backline took full advantage. The greater finesse of those backs became apparent as early as the sixth minute when wingers Shane Williams and Hal Luscombe combined to set up flanker Jonathan Thomas to score the opening try. Italy then poached a try in the 11th minute flyhalf Luciano Orquera charged down a Gavin Henson kick and dashed down the touchline to dive over in the corner.
It was only a temporary respite, however, as Wales’s greater possession and determined work in the forwards pushed Italy deep into their own half. Welsh pressure paid off in the 23rd minute, when Henson — the hero of the win over England — hoisted a high ball over the line for fellow centre Tom Shanklin to catch in the corner. Wales ended the half 19-5 ahead when Luscombe punctured Italy’s defense and supplied flanker Martyn Williams to touch the ball against the base of a post for a try.
Ireland Surge Back to Thump Scotland 40-13
In Edinburgh, Ireland swept to a 40-13 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield with a blend of powerful forward play and slick backline attacks to record their second win in the Six Nations championship.
The Scots, after a good performance in Paris last weekend, were soundly beaten in the forward fray and were unable to stop the Ireland forwards from achieving massive territorial gains through the rolling maul.
Moreover Ireland hardly put a foot wrong in the line-out and were equally secure in the set-scrum as they remained on course for their first title in 20 years.
