Wales crush Italy in Cardiff

Wales produced an emphatic second-half performance to see off Italy 47-8 at the Millennium Stadium and keep their RBS 6 Nations title campaign on track.

Lee Byrne scored a try in each half while Shane Williams scored his 38th and 39th Test tries to move within one of Gareth Thomas' Wales record.

Fly-half Stephen Jones supplemented it all with 18 points from a faultless kicking display.

Wales only led 13-8 at the interval but the turnaround was sparked by Tom Shanklin's interception try just after the restart.

Italy, who had troubled Wales early on and scored through Martin Castrogiovanni, then crumbled.

The tone was set by Shanklin's try which came at a vital point for Wales, who had ended the first half on the back foot as Italy pulled to within five points at 13-8.

Jones added two second-half penalties to his first-half brace and Italy had Mirco Bergamasco sin-binned after referee Dave Pearson lost patience with Italy's constant infringing.

Wales then turned on the style and notched up 10 points while Bergamasco was cooling off.

Stephen Jones burst into a gap and delivered a perfectly-delayed pass for Shane Williams to scamper down the right touchline and score his 38th Test try for Wales.

Byrne escaped Canale's tackle and scored from inside his own half to mark an eye-catching performance before Williams rounded off the win with a dazzling solo try.