Jones: Canada tougher than expected

Wales flanker Dafydd Jones believes the RBS 6 Nations champions may have underestimated Canada after their thrashing at the hands of Ireland last weekend.

Declan Kidney’s side hammered the Canucks 55-0 last time out, but Wales laboured somewhat in a 34-13 win at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Leigh Halfpenny built on his impressive display against South Africa in the first of Wales’ autumn internationals with two tries, but a half-time scoreline of 10-6 ahead will not have impressed coach Warren Gatland.

Jones told BBC2 Wales: “It was really tough. We knew it was going to be hard to break them down but in all honesty it was harder than we thought.

“They came here and made it really tough. The wingers kept us in the game, to be fair.

“We tried to play but we turned the ball over, gave penalties away and brought their backs into the game. They picked the game up and generally made it tough.”

“We were our own worst enemy. We kept losing ball and you can’t do that, whoever you’re playing.”

Winger Mark Jones admitted a much-changed Wales struggled for fluency in the match, but denied it had anything to do with a belief that Warren Gatland's first-choice XV was already decided.

“We made it difficult for ourselves at times,” he said.

“They were like a wounded animal at times because they wanted to show they were a better side than they showed against Ireland. They did that.

“But the coaches made it clear that the places were up for grabs tonight. There was no lack of effort but perhaps a lack of execution.”