Wales enjoy first half blitz - and the Slam is on!

Wales carried on in Edinburgh where they had left off in Rome and Paris, and the match was over by half-time when they had established a runaway 38-3 lead.

The Scots came back fighting hard and actually won the second half 19-8, but Wales had done more than enough for their best ever triumph at Scotland's headquarters.

The game was effectively over after 27 minutes when Wales had built up an unassailable lead with some thrilling rugby. Kevin Morgan and Rhys Williams both scored two tries in one of the most one-sided periods in major international rugby.

But they took their foot off the pedal when they had established a 43-3 lead and they allowed Scotland to come back into the game by scoring three tries themselves.

But it was scant consolation, and though Wales will undeniably have to tighten up against the Irish, they have now scored an astonishing 15 tries in their four Six Nations games to make them the team of the championship.

The Welsh had truly taken over Edinburgh, Friday night a mass of red in all the usual haunts with barely a Scot in sight.

And before the match a Welsh choir provided the entertainment, making it seem more like the Millennium Stadium than Murrayfield.

'Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah' rang out around the ground, the bemused Scottish pipers forced to look on until they were finally allowed to take over.

And when they did they were at their resplendent best during 'Flower of Scotland,' a roar of two jets flying past adding to the sense of occasion.

Conditions for the match were perfect from a Welsh point of view with none of the rain or sleet showers forecast materialising, making the pitch ideally suited to their free-running style.

Welsh pin-up boy Gavin Henson appeared with grey-blue flecks in his black hair this time.

It took Wales just three minutes to produce some of the exhilarating rugby the thousands of fans were hoping for, and the end result was a cracker of a try.

Ryan Jones started and finished a wonderful move to mark his 24th birthday.

Jones thrust deep into the Scottish half and offloaded inside to the supporting Kevin Morgan, and on the ball moved to Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams and finally to Ryan Jones again for a stunning try which Stephen Jones converted.

Wales lost Tom Shanklin two minutes later, Hal Luscombe a blood replacement, but the Scots attacked hard, going through the phases until they conceded a ridiculous try.

With loads of space, Scottish outside half Dan Parks threw the ball straight to Rhys Williams who strolled, almost literally, almost the length of the field to score a second Wales try which Stephen Jones again converted.

It could hardly have started better for Wales, 14 points ahead in only 10 minutes, but better is what it got as Wales miraculously scored a third try after just 13 minutes as they cut the home defence to ribbons again.

Stephen Jones broke clean through the middle and handed on to Michael Owen, who sent Shane Williams racing over unopposed for Jones to add the extra points.

Shanklin returned and the Welsh onslaught continued, Jones adding a simple penalty from in front to make the score 24-0 after just 18 minutes, the signal for 'Hymns and Arias' to break out around the ground.

Scotland belatedly came into it, Sean Lamont and Stuart Grimes making progress and Chris Paterson carrying it on until they were given a penalty from close in and attempted a driving line-out. But just when Wales turned them over they conceded another penalty which Paterson put over to gets the Scots on the board after 22 minutes.

But Wales put the Scots out for the count with try number four after 27 minutes, awful Scottish tackling again aiding and abetting them.

Shanklin barged through a feeble Sean Lamont attempted tackle and handed on to Kevin Morgan who comfortably held off the challenge of Paterson to cross for another try, Jones again converting.

The match was now completely flat, over as a contest, and the Welsh team could have been excused of letting their minds wander to the Grand Slam showdown with Ireland next week while Scotland coach Matt Williams was probably contemplating resignation during the interval.

But before then Wales made it five tries after 39 minutes. Scrum half Dwayne Peel broke through the Scottish cover, leaving three defenders trailing from a retreating scrum, and he found Morgan at his elbow for the Newport Gwent Dragons player to pounce for his second try, Jones again converting for a staggering half-time lead of 38-3.

Wales had even managed to hold out as Scottish forward after forward launched for the line, though Morgan left the field clutching his right elbow in some pain.

But he was fit to resume, though Scotland sent on Gordon Ross for Parks, Bruce Douglas for Gavin Kerr and Nathan Hines for Stuart Grimes. And the suffering Scots were further hit when scrum half Chris Cusiter was forced off, replaced by Mike Blair.

Wales showed no mercy and scored again within ten minutes of the resumption when Peel took a quick tap penalty, and with the Scottish defence seemingly asleep as one of their number received attention, he passed out wide to Rhys Williams who, for the second time, ambled over for a try though from rather shorter range this time. For the first time Jones failed to convert.

But at last the Scots got on the scoreboard when they opened out from one side of the field to the other, taking a leaf out of Wales' book, and after a charge by Scott Murray, centre Andy Craig swept over for a try which Paterson converted from near the touchline. Wales had gone completely off the boil, understandable given the size of their lead, and Alister Hogg and Tom Smith were both brought down inches short as Scotland stepped up the pace. Wales were reduced to 14 men when Brent Cockbain was yellow carded for hands in a ruck, and Scotland missed a glorious chance when Ross knocked on.

The Scots came again, intent on saving face, and winger Rory Lamont marked his debut with a try12 minutes from the end when he barged through ineffective tackling by Shane Williams and Shanklin.

And they scored another try a minute later right out of Wales' book when they capitalised on a piece of mishandling by Luscombe to launch a thrilling counter which ended with Paterson scoring a try which he converted.

Wales needed to re-establish themselves after three tries by the Scots and they did when Henson was halted just short and skipper Michael Owen took no messing, telling Jones to go for goal. He duly kicked his second penalty to restore some order to the proceedings.

But the Scots were revitalised in the second half and they went close again, Hines denied a try by the video referee, but Wales, though losing the second half 19-8, ended overwhelming winners.

Scotland: C Paterson, R Lamont, A Craig (A Henderson 75), H Southwell, S Lamont, D Parks (G Ross 40), C Cusiter (M Blair 43), T Smith, G Bulloch (captain), G Kerr (B Douglas 40), S Grimes (N Hines 40), S Murray, S Taylor, A Hogg, J Petrie. Scorers: tries: A Craig, R Lamont, C Paterson; conversions: Paterson (2); penalty: Paterson. Wales: K Morgan, R Williams (H Luscombe 68), T Shanklin (H Luscombe 7-15), G Henson (C Sweeney 74), S Williams, S Jones, D Peel, G Jenkins, M Davies (R McBryde 49), A Jones (J Yapp 63), B Cockbain (J Thomas 69), R Sidoli, R Jones, M Owen (captain), M Williams. Scorers: tries: R Jones, R Williams (2), S Williams, K Morgan (2); conversions: S Jones (5); penalties: S Jones (2). Referee: Mr. J Kaplan (South Africa). Attendance: 63,431.