Wales up and running

Taking up where they left off in the World Cup - mocking doubt that they would - the dazzling Welsh backs cut Scotland to ribbons with an audacious, run-at-all-costs approach.

While a three-try, 10-point margin was not the best of reflections, the daring Wales attack created more than enough opportunities to swamp the visitors and provide Steve Hansen's side with a first opening game win since 1997.

Cause for celebration? Hardly. Perhaps the truest gauge of Wales' new mindset was after the final whistle. They briefly applauded Scotland into the tunnel and then they, too, disappeared. No lap of honour for the buzzing, capacity crowd. In the same dissatisfied traditions of Sir Clive Woodward and his England world beaters, it was more a case of 'job done, move on'.

Coach Hansen said: 'Nobody is jumping up and down or doing cartwheels about that performance. I am happy with the first half but in the second we lost our shape. We have to be realistic in that we have to step up again.'

Wales face Ireland in Dublin on Sunday when they anticipate a sterner test of character than Matt Williams' reconstructed Scots provided.

But judging from the hair-raising first 50 minutes of Saturday's display, it would not be surprising to learn their next Celtic opponents are the ones with furrowed brows.

Wales' electric back three of Gareth Thomas, Rhys Williams and Shane Williams evoked memories of the finest flying backs the Principality has produced.

Rhys Williams grabbed two tries, omnipresent Shane Williams set up the third for shaggy-haired prop Adam Jones, and what would have been a gem of a score by Gareth Thomas - the move passed through 14 sets of hands - was called back for interference.

Behind an underrated forward pack and the crafty midfield combination of Stephen Jones and Iestyn Harris, the Welsh seldom looked threatened. Instead, the Scots and their paper-thin defence were menaced by Wales' sheer intent to attack, not to mention the backline moves. A total of 166 passes, and just six touchfinders, told the tale of an exhilarating spectacle.

Llewellyn said: 'My lungs didn't feel exhilarated. There was tension in the air, a lot of expectation on us since the World Cup. It was nice to go out again and see all the stuff you do in training work. But we still have to set our standard higher.'

The second half saw Scotland mount a minor fightback. But Hansen, who departs for his native New Zealand at the end of the Six Nations, has his players grinning from ear-to-ear with a 'confidence in themselves and each other' - an inestimable quality.

For his southern counterpart Matt Williams the smiles were perhaps on the inside, walking away from a thorough defeat in his first game by just 13 points. Having promised 'a lot of pain' in his attempts to rebuild Scottish rugby with youth, Williams took heart from a chat with Hansen.

Hansen revealed: 'I told Matt: "I know exactly how you feel, don't stop believing in yourself'. Given time they will be a good team".'