WALES ended the group stages of the World Rugby Under-20s Championship by running wild against Japan.
The Welsh youngsters ran in 10 tries in a one-sided romp in Viadana to record their first win of the tournament after disappointing losses to France and England.
Their bonus point win secured third place in Pool A and a place in the playoffs for fifth spot on Monday while Les Bleuets clinched top spot after stunning the double world champions 30-18.
Wales made sloppy starts in their losses to the English and French and once again fell behind to an early penalty by full-back Ryuji Noguchi.
However, they were soon in command when, after some white line fever, fly-half Jarrod Evans danced under the sticks.
He converted himself and added the extras when his Cardiff Blues teammate wing Elis-Wyn Benham raced down the right in the 10th minute.
Scarlets number eight Tom Phillips finished off a flowing team move on the quarter and the bonus point should have swiftly followed only for Wales to be hindered by errors and a shocking lineout.
Nonetheless, they secured the five-point haul before the break when Benham bagged his second after neat work by impressive scrum-half Tomos Williams and the even more impressive Newport Gwent Dragons openside Ollie Griffiths.
Evans superbly converted from the touchline to make it 28-3 before Scarlets wing Joshua Adams crossed down the left to make it 33-3 at half-time.
Ospreys lock Adam Beard was put through a gaping hole in midfield for a sixth score early in the second half and was swiftly followed over the line by his regional teammate Dafydd Howells, the full-back who was capped twice on the seniors' tour to Japan in 2013.
Howells knocked on reaching for the line as the game became a tad scrappy approaching the final quarter but there was still time for hooker-playing-flanker Liam Belcher, blindside Seb Davies and wing Adams to cross the whitewash.
Wales U20s scorers: tries – J Evans, E Benham (2), T Phillips, J Adams (2), A Beard, D Howells, L Belcher, S Davies; conversions – J Evans (5), D Jones (3)
Japan U20s scorer: penalty – R Noguchi
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