7 Jun 2009

Wales beat United States

8:19 am on 7 June 2009

Jonathan Davies scored two tries and Nick Robinson was deadly with passes and kicks, sparking Wales to a 48-15 victory over the United States in a rugby union Test.

The victory completed a strong North American tour for the Welsh, who beat Canada 32-23 last week at Toronto.

Robinson struck on a pair of penalty kicks before Gavin DeBartolo answered for the Americans with a long conversion, pulling the hosts within 6-3.

Tom James scored the first Wales try and Davies added another off a pass from Robinson, who recovered his own chip forward and made a crisp flip to his left to set up the unchallenged score.

The Welsh went ahead 27-3 at half-time after being awarded a penalty try late in the opening half for repeatedly collapsing the ruck.

Fijian-born US fly half Alipate Tuilevuka scored his second international try on a power run at pace 13 minutes into the second half.

But Mark Jones answered for Wales, recovering a loose ball that went bounding out of a ruck and scampering in for a try. Robinson finished his perfect conversion kicking and the Welsh stretched the lead to 34-10.

Gareth Cooper pounced on a loose ball for a Wales try with 8:45 remaining and Davies scored a final Wales try with 75 seconds remaining. The Americans tightened the final margin with a try on the last play by J.J. Gagiano, who plays for the University of Cape Town.