Wales thrash Tonga as Liam Williams celebrates 50th cap in style
Lions star scored two of Wales’ 10 tries and helped Warren Gatland’s side to their eighth straight win
LIAM Williams marked his 50th Wales cap with a stunning try as Wales thrashed Tonga.
Saracens ace Williams declared himself “the scaffolder living the dream” before this game and the former Port Talbot steel worker showed he still has a head for heights with a superb finish.
The 27-year-old Lion scored two of Wales’ 10 tries and helped Warren Gatland’s side to their eighth straight win.
It means the New Zealander’s men will go for their first autumn clean sweep when they host South Africa at Principality Stadium next Saturday.
Tonga had a nightmare start and although they did pull their way back to 24-24 at one stage, there was only ever going to be one winner as Wales ran away with it in the final quarter.
Gatland’s men opened their account with a penalty try and man of the match Dan Biggar and Williams also scored before the break.
Tonga gave themselves brief hope with tries from Leva Fifita, Steve Mafi and Sione Vailanu, but Tomos Williams, Tyler Morgan, Cory Hill, Aled Davies and Rhys Patchell all scored as Wales ran away with it to score 50 points in the second-half.
And there was still time for Williams to end a day to remember with his second and the game’s final score.
Wales boss Gatland made 14 changes from the team which ended a 10-year wait to beat Australia.
But it failed to stop them from scoring three tries in the first 11 minutes.
The game had barely started when Tonga were penalised for not rolling away and Biggar kicked to the corner. From there Wales’ rolling maul was unstoppable and referee Nic Berry awarded a penalty try.
Tonga lock Fifita was also yellow carded for trying to stop the Wales drive illegally.
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The hosts had their second after their opponents lost a line-out.
Aaron Wainwright drove towards the line and popped the ball up for Biggar who dived over and converted his own score.
A man down, Tonga got on the scoreboard through a penalty from Newcastle’s Sonatane Takulua.
But it was one-way traffic as Liam Williams – who led Wales out – marked the milestone with a sensational effort.
Wainwright was again involved and although Morgan was smashed in midfield, the ball found debutant Jonah Holmes who sent Liam Williams away to the corner.
He did superbly to dive and ground the ball despite severe Tongan pressure and Biggar nailed the touchline conversion.
Tonga had a try ruled out for a knock on, but their discipline was poor and when Dan Faleafa tackled Wainwright off the ball, Biggar extended the Welsh lead with a penalty.
After a nightmare first quarter and being denied by the TMO, Tonga woke up and their powerful forwards began to make a mark.
And they got their rewards second time around as another powerful surge ended with Fifita making amends for his earlier yellow card by finding the line. Takulua converted.
A second try then arrived before the break as a series of pick and drives ended in Mafi burrowing over. Takulua’s kick made it 24-17 at the break.
Wales had switched off and when Tomos Williams’ pass was intercepted by rampaging Tongan No 8 Vailanu, his converted try tied the scores and raised the possibility of a shock home defeat.
It didn’t last long. After Jake Ball smashed his way through midfield, Biggar cross-kicked to the corner and Evans collected to score.
Biggar kicked the goal and then added a penalty to calm Welsh nerves.
Gatland’s men were now dominant and after scrum-half Tomos Williams reached for the line to score and Biggar converted, Wales unloaded their bench.
Their fresh legs led to a last quarter blowout.
Centre Morgan smashed his way over for his first Wales try after it looked like Holmes had butchered what should have been a certain score. It opened the floodgates.
Replacement Hill picked up a loose ball after Tonga failed to gather a kick and galloped his way to the line and it was now raining tries with substitute Davies was the next to go over.
It came following fine build-up work from Liam Williams.
Biggar’s replacement Patchell kicked two of the three conversions before racing clear for a sublime individual try of his own.
Liam Williams added the coup de grace as Wales recorded their biggest victory since they faced Namibia at the 2015 World Cup.