Wales ran in five tries while defeating the Pacific Islanders 38-20 at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon - their first victory under Gareth Jenkins.
It was also Wales' first success since the Six Nations victory over Scotland - the final game before Welsh rugby descended into chaos with Mike Ruddock's sudden departure - some nine months ago.
Jenkins had made a staggering 14 changes from last weekend's 29-29 draw with Australia - and yet the second string effectively had the match wrapped up by half-time.
Wales raced 31-5 ahead, scoring four tries against an Islanders' side who had ambition in spades but lacked cohesion in defence and nous up front.
Brilliantly worked tries from Mark Jones and Kevin Morgan were supplemented by gifted interception scores finished off by James Hook and Lee Byrne.
Nevertheless, the match remained a feast of running rugby after the interval. Ceri Sweeney scored for Wales, to finish with a personal haul of 18 points.
The Islanders - selected from the cream of Samoan, Tongan and Fijian rugby - played three Tests in 2004 but this was their first appearance on European soil.
They had only been together a week but salvaged some pride as the game opened up, adding to Justin Va'a's first-half try with efforts from fly-half Tusi Pisi and Seilala Mapasua.
When Jenkins made 14 changes he insisted the strength in depth made Wales the envy of every rugby nation in the world.
They were bold words. An upset was not inconceivable before kick-off given the wealth of individual talent on display for the Pacific Islanders.
But they could not live with Wales' superior organisation both in defence and attack.
Sweeney was heavily involved at fly-half and Sonny Parker, starting at outside centre on his return from international retirement, was named man of the match.
Wales were quick off the mark once the game was underway and came within touching distance of a try inside two minutes.
After Wales had pinched an Islanders lineout, Cardiff scrum-half Mike Phillips put an excellent box down the right wing. Number eight Alix Popham won the race but the ball slipped from his grasp as he reached for the line.
The Islanders showed their intent right away, trying to run the ball out of defence from the back of the five-metre scrum.
There were also two early indications of the renowned Islander tackling style, with James Hook and Sweeney both hit with hard, late blows in the opening exchanges.
Sweeney booted Wales into the lead and Phillips almost burrowed over for the opening try after a powerful lineout drive forced the Islanders on the back foot.
But just four minutes later, Wales were in after Mark Jones skipped past number eight Hale T-Polei and full-back Norman Ligairi to score a brilliant try.
Jones barely had any space to beat Ligairi but he just stayed in-field and the try was eventually confirmed by television official George Clancy.
The Islanders were under the cosh with Wales enjoying over 60% of both possession and territory. It meant they had to force things - and it proved costly.
Hook picked off a long pass from Pisi as the Islanders counter-attacked and he ran 50 metres untouched to score his first try for Wales on home soil.
Almost as soon as Morgan had denied Nili Latu a try with some alert cover defending, he scored at the other end.
Wales attacked from clean lineout ball and a perfectly delayed pass from Sweeney allowed Parker to slip his man and send Morgan under the posts.
Morgan was soon pressed into defence as the Islanders stuck to what they know best.
He halted the rampaging Ratuvou, on for injured London Irish winger Sailosi Tagicakibau, but the Islanders kept the pressure on and Va'a dived over in the corner.
Wales, though, hit straight back with another interception try as Byrne read Mapasua's pass and strolled over.
The Islanders hit back in some style after the interval.
Latu's run punctured the Welsh defence, the Islanders recycled the ball quickly and Mapasua eased through a gaping hole down the blindside to score.
If nothing else, this was now a feast of running rugby. Wales counter-attacked from inside their own half with Alix Popham sending Parker on a searing break.
Mark Jones was felled just short of the line with an excellent tackle from Mapasua but the Scarlets winger off-loaded to Sweeney for Wales' fifth try.
The tourists stuck to their guns and after Pisi had slotted a penalty, they worked an excellent try for Ratuvou in the left corner.
Wales thought they had a sixth when replacement winger Shane Williams picked up Sweeney's offload, but it was ruled out by referee Wayne Barnes.
