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Wales overpower USA
4 June 2005, 10:19 pm
Grand Slam champions Wales continued their dazzling form with a record 77-3 win over the USA Eagles in Hartford, Connecticut.
Mike Ruddocks men ran in an awesome 11 tries without response with Dragons centre Ceri Sweeney notching up a 100% record from the conversions.

And the result, Wales biggest ever against the US, makes it seven matches unbeaten for the Grand Slam champions.

Just five players remained from the Wales side which clinched their first Grand Slam in 27 years against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium back in March with Mike Ruddock's selection hit by Lions call ups and injuries.

Grand Slam winners Kevin Morgan, Adam Jones, Brent Cockbain and Ryan Jones were all in Ruddock's side while Mark Taylor skippered the team on his 50th appearance for his country.

Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees made his debut at the Rentscher Field Stadium, an American Football venue, while Blues winger Craig Morgan made his first start since France back in 2003.

The Eagles, coached by former Pontypridd forward Tom Billups, were captained by Cardiff Blues number eight Kort Schubert and gave the kicking duties to record points holder and former Sale Shark Mike Hercus, who will join the Llanelli Scarlets next season.

But Wales, unbeaten since going down to New Zealand some five months ago, wasted little time in displaying their dominance when Ceri Sweeney dived over after just two minutes and 45 seconds.

Having been denied a score within a minute by a last-ditch Eagles tackle in the corner, Sweeney made no mistake moments later when a break by number eight Ryan Jones left the Dragons centre with an easy walk-in for the try which he easily converted.

Craig Morgan was the next to benefit from Wales' early pressure as USA failed to cope with the speed of the Welsh movement, finishing off a sustained period of possession in the left-hand corner to seal a 12th-minute score which Sweeney improved.

Hercus got the hosts on the scoresheet with a 15th-minute penalty but fly-half Nicky Robinson increased the visitors' lead when he made the most of a Mike Phillips break one minute later before Phillips' set up Kevin Morgan for a fourth converted try within 19 minutes.

The Eagles tried their best to force their way back in the match but a mixture of mistakes and tough Welsh tackling kept them at bay and after 34 minutes Wales had mustered up a fifth converted try thanks to a Jon Thomas push-over.

And the first-half rout of 42-3 was completed on the stroke of the whistle when Rhys Williams sped home into the corner after good work from Sweeney.

Ruddock made the most of the healthy lead by handing Ben Broster his debut, the Saracens prop replacing Adam Jones and immediately had a hand in setting up Colin Charvis for a 49th-minute try, his 18th in 76 Tests.

Mike Phillips made an 80metre run-in look all-too-easy as he sped home after 54 minutes before Charvis extended his record further with a simple try three minutes later for Wales' ninth score to be converted by Sweeney.

And the game was wrapped up in convincing fashion as Scarlets' Tal Selley finished off a breakaway try after 78 minutes to make it a debut try for the replacement before fellow replacement Richie Pugh took his first Test try in injury-time and allow Sweeney to make it 11 out of 11 from the conversion and make it a personal tally of 27.


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