Wales U20s secured an emphatic victory over Fiji in their Junior World Championship on Monday, winning 44-18 with 24 points coming from young Ospreys Eli Walker, Sam Davies and Matthew Morgan.
Danny Wilson’s side had trailed 12-3 at the interval following tries from Fijian brothers Samu and Josua Kerevi.
But the young Dragons came flying out of the blocks in the second-half and stormed back with six tries.
Touchdowns from Daniel Thomas and Walker put Wales in front, before the floodgates opened with scores for Darren Harris, Cory Allen, Morgan and captain Cory Hill.
Young fly-half Davies opened the scoring for Wales after just two-minutes of the clash in Stellenbosch.
But Fiji quickly exerted their dominance. Sakiusa Gavidi was wide of the posts on 13 minutes but powerhouse centre Samu Kerevi crashed over a minute later.
Both Matayavusa Lea and Michael Little missed shots at goal to extend Fiji’s lead, while Davies also failed to find his range for Wales.
But Josua Kerevi followed up his brother’s effort with a score of his own, which Gavidi converted to hand Fiji a nine-point lead at the break.
Whatever Coach Danny Wilson said in the changing rooms at the Danie Craven Stadium did the trick and Wales demonstrated far more commitment and precision in the second-half.
It took just four minutes for Daniel Thomas to haul Wales back in to the game. Davies missed the conversion before his Ospreys team-mate Walker, a late replacement for Tom Prydie who withdrew due to illness, raced clear to hand Wales the lead.
Davies slotted the conversion and extended Wales’ lead to 18-13 on 54 minutes.
Replacement hooker Harris continued the onslaught from a rampaging driving lineout on 66-minutes. That begun a five-minute purple patch with Allen and Morgan both crossing, with the Ospreys fly-half, on as a replacement, converting all three efforts.
And the thrilling second-half performance was capped when Cardiff Blues' Hill completed the rout at the death.
Wales now face reigning champions New Zealand on Friday but may be without Scarlets centre Owen Williams, who picked up a shoulder injury.
Wales U20s: R Jones; E Walker, J Dixon, O Williams, L Walker; S Davies, J Evans; R Evans, K Myhill, S Lee, C Hill (capt), M Screech, L Hamilton, D Baker, D Thomas. Replacements: D Harris, G Thomas, W John, R Hughes, E Jenkins, T Habberfield, M Morgan, C Allen.