Wales launched the defence of their Six Nations crown in impressive fashion with a 26-13 victory over Scotland at wintry Murrayfield on Sunday.

The Welsh produced a confident and businesslike display with a four-try performance before taking their foot off the gas in the closing stages.

Tom Shanklin, a late call-up for the injured Gavin Henson, Alun-Wyn Jones, Leigh Halfpenny and world player of the year Shane Williams all scored for Wales with Max Evans grabbing Scotland's only try.

Wales suffered a potentially major setback in the build up to kick-off when inspirational skipper Ryan Jones failed a fitness test on a leg strain.

Veteran flanker Martyn Williams took over the leadership duties, while Daffyd Jones was summoned from the bench.

Welsh centre Jamie Roberts said he was now keen to face England next weekend at the Millennium Stadium.

"It was an absolutely fantastic performance first half - they had us on the edge of our seats at the end but fair play to Scotland they made us work hard," said the Cardiff star. "I'm looking forward to next week - bring on England."

Scotland coach Frank Hadden said his team gave Wales too much respect.

"We were playing the best side in the northern hemisphere but we're bitterly disappointed that we allowed them to show it so easily," he said.

"I felt we were outmuscled, especially in the first half an hour."

A powerful half-break by Andy Powell set up a promising early raid and only frantic defence out wide enabled the Scots to keep them out.

With Wales stepping up the momentum, home winger Simon Webster was at the centre of an injury scare following a head-on collision with Martyn Williams in midfield.

However, he was able to resume after a long spell of treatment.

It seemed only a matter of time before Wales would turn domination into points and the breakthrough came in the 12th minute with a simple penalty by Stephen Jones.

New Scotland cap Geoff Cross jumped into the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

He failed to pull out of a tackle on Lee Byrne, who was airborne while collecting a high lob by Mike Blair, and ended leaving the action for two reasons.

Having taken the full force of Byrne's knee on the side of his head, Cross was stretchered off. To add insult to injury, he was yellow carded by Irish referee Alain Rolland.

In the meantime, Webster was ushered from the pitch after being physically sick in the aftermath of his mishap.

On came record Scots cap-winner and all-time top points scorer Chris Paterson.

However, within seconds Wales stretched their advantage with a superbly manufactured try.

Shane Williams inflicted the initial damage with a typically dynamic run before Byrne acted as the link for centre Shanklin to plough over. Stephen Jones was marginally wide with the angled conversion.

The mounting confidence of Wales was underlined when they opted to keep the ball alive at the next penalty instead of aiming for goal.

Their gamble paid handsome dividends as they carved out a second touchdown for lock Alun-Wyn Jones.

The Scottish pack were destroyed deep inside their 22-zone and Jones brushed off Hugo Southwell's insipid challenge to reach the target.

Paterson halted the Scotland rot by calmly slotting a 40-metre penalty to at least get his toiling side off the mark.

There was a further much-needed positive for the hosts when Southwell sent a clearance kick 75 metres into enemy territory.

They then patiently put together a series of well-controlled phases with Paterson jinking his way to within a stride of the line.

But all the good work was wasted when the Welsh forwards again stole the ball in the shadow of their posts.

Even worse was to come for Scotland as Stephen Jones banged over a penalty with the last act of the half.

The Scots were rocked by yet another disaster just 54 seconds after the restart.

Slick close-quarter handling left their markers clutching at air as 20-year-old winger Halfpenny sneaked over in the corner after latching on to a cleverly timed underhand offload pass from Shane Williams.

Williams then got his name on the scoresheet with a point-blank range effort.

Wales skipper Martyn Williams was then unlucky to be sin-binned when Rolland ruled he had deliberately knocked on to thwart a rare Scotland raid.

The Scots clawed back some pride when substitute Max Evans darted over for a try which was converted from the touchline by Paterson.

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