Wales survive scare to beat Canada

NANTES, France -- Wales opened their rugby World Cup campaign with a victory, but they survived a huge scare to beat Canada 42-17 in their Pool B clash in Nantes.

Shane Williams crossed twice as Wales ran in five tries at the Stade de la Beaujoire but the result was in doubt for over half the match.

Canada stunned the Six Nations side with a deserved 17-9 lead early in the second half after Jamie Cudmore, Craig Culpan and Morgan Williams all scored tries to raise hopes of a stunning upset.

But despite making huge strides since their last World Cup meeting four years ago, Canada could not compete with the wealth of experience on the Welsh bench as British Lions Gareth Thomas and Stephen Jones turned the game.

Sonny Parker, Alun-Wyn Jones and Colin Charvis scored Wales' other tries as their supporters breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Wales came into this match with just two wins in their previous 11 Tests and Canada's direct style rattled them -- but their indiscipline saw Wales go 9-0 up through three James Hook penalties.

But Canada's sheer size created the game's opening try with flanker Cudmore crashing over in the 25th minute after Sean-Michael Stephen had been denied on the line.

Wales sought a swift response but their over-eagerness handed Canada a second try before the break.

Wales hooker Matthew Rees was hauled down on the line following a scintillating break by Shane Williams, but Hook's pass was off-target and Culpan galloped the length of the field for a shock 12-9 lead.

Hope turned to confidence in the second half when Canada's captain Williams scrambled over just five minutes into the second-half.

But Wales coach Gareth Jenkins threw on the cavalry in the second half as Thomas, Jones and Charvis all helped turn the game.

Parker went over from close range before Alun-Wyn Jones pounced on Ander Monro's sliced kick to hand Wales a 57th minute lead.

Williams scampered over twice in the space of four minutes to recover from the embarrassment of fumbling the ball with the try line at his mercy, before Charvis completed a late victory.

Meanwhile, Scotland joined New Zealand at the top of Pool C with a 56-10 win over World Cup debutants Portugal in St Etienne.

The Scots scored three early converted tries and powered home late in the game to finish with eight converted tries.

Inspired by flyhalf Dan Parks and with fullback Rory Lamont claiming a brace of tries, the Scots always had the measure of Portugal's willing yet outgunned Los Lobos novices.

It was just the start Scotland needed, ahead of their next group match against the tougher Romanians at home in Edinburgh on September 18.

Scotland began powerfully and led 21-0 in almost as many minutes with three converted tries as their forwards dominated the set pieces and mauls.

Rory Lamont grabbed the opening two tries, bursting through two tackles to score in the 12th minute and Parks was again the initiator as he scored three minutes later.

Hooker Scott Lawson claimed a spectacular try running on to Parks' high kick to the left corner to catch the ball and score to stretch the Scots' advantage to 21-0.

But the pro-Portuguese crowd went into raptures when winger Pedro Carvalho crashed over between two tackles after concerted presssure from the willing Los Lobos in the 28th minute.

Scotland's reply was immediate, inside-center Rob Dewey regained possession from the kick-off and broke a couple of tackles to plant the ball over the line and restore his team's advantage.

Portuguese fly-half Duarte Cardoso Pinto landed a penalty to more cheers to trail 28-10. The Scots then lost prop Allan Jacobsen with a left ankle injury minutes before half-time and was replaced by Gavin Kerr.

Portugal had more of the play early in the second half before Parks darted over midway through the second half off winger Simon Webster's pass to push the Scots out of any danger at 35-10.

Replacements Hugo Southwell, Kelly Brown and Ross Ford scored converted tries to boost the final margin for Scotland. E-mail to a friend