A Scott Williams hat-trick helped guide Wales to a 81-7 bonus point victory over Namibia in New Plymouth to set up a crunch match against Fiji for a quarter-final berth.
Wales' biggest ever World Cup win drew it level with Samoa on 10 points in pool D, and leaves it needing to beat Fiji in its final match next weekend, when unbeaten group leaders South Africa play the Samoans.
Despite scoring 12 tries to one, the Welsh at times laboured against Namibia, which became the first team to exit the World Cup having suffered three previous defeats to Fiji (49-25), Samoa (49-12) and South Africa (87-0).
"We've got the bonus point, which is what we wanted," Wales captain Sam Warburton said.
"Namibia made it very difficult for us, especially in the contact. That's something we need to look at."
Namibia remain winless in four World Cup campaigns but captain Jacques Burger was pleased with the final outing, even though it took place just four days after playing South Africa.
"We're not making excuses, we weren't good enough today," Burger said.
"It's the end of the World Cup today. Wales are going on, we wish them all the best."
Things did not start well for Namibia when the scrum imploded at the first time of setting and the penalty kicked by Stephen Jones, who went on to also land six conversions on his record 101st appearance for Wales.
A sweet inside pass from Jonathan Davies saw Leigh Halfpenny scurrying down the touchline, drawing Chrysander Botha and sending Williams in for his first try.
Aled Brew and Toby Faletau then scored in quick succession to make it 22-0 for Wales after just 17 minutes.
But the southern Africans did not wilt in the face of the Welsh attack, even managing to gain some parity, with an impressive line-out display, an improving midfield defence and a doughty performance at the breakdown led by Burger.
Unfortunately, Namibian fly half Theuns Kotze was unable to capitalise, failing with two 45-metre penalties just before half-time.
Williams bagged a brace, and a crucial bonus point for Wales, shortly after some sustained pressure on the Namibian line.
Back-from-injury Gethin Jenkins then scored a plum of a prop's try, the British and Irish Lions representative showing the public what Wales have been sorely lacking in terms of forward mobility.
Dropped off by Jonathan Davies, Jenkins sold a dummy, stepped and sprinted to the line, eventually bundled over in a mass of bodies for a fine try.
Jenkins' effort was immediately forgotten, however, as Namibian second rower Heinz Koll sold Brew an outrageous dummy to give himself a lock's gallop to the corner from 35 metres for a memorable five-pointer that Kotze converted.
Wales hit back with a try from giant winger George North, who made a massive impact when he came on in place of Brew.
North was immediately in action from the re-start, finding a gap and busting out to the halfway line, the supporting Jonathan Davies crossing for a great score.
And North was on hand to muscle his way over for his second try just a minute later after a Lee Byrne break. Williams claimed his hat-trick with a jinking run moments after.
As Namibia collapsed, Lloyd Williams, Byrne and Alun Wyn Jones also crossed for tries in what was a record World Cup victory for Wales, surpassing the 72-18 win over Japan in 2007.
Wales: 81 (S Williams (3), G North (2), A Brew, T Faletau, G Jenkins, J Davies, L Williams, L Byrne, A Wynn Jones tries; S Jones 6 cons, R Priestland 3 cons; S Jones pen)
Namibia: 7 (H Koll tries; T Kotze con)
AFP
Tags: rugby-union-world-cup, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand First posted September 26, 2011 19:30:41