Notching his first try on his full debut for Wales helped Tom James ease the pain of his penalty miss for Cardiff Blues last month in the Heineken Cup semi-finals.

Having scored a try against Leicester Tigers to help the Blues tie the game at 26-26, James missed a kick in the penalty shoot-out, where victory would have sent the Welsh outfit into the final.

"At the beginning of the season I was injured and Leigh Halfpenny came on the scene and did tremendously," said James after his score in the 32-23 win over Canada at York University Stadium. "It took me a while to get back in but, with the EDF final and the quarter and semi-final of the Heineken Cup, I played well. Sadly I missed the kick but this has just topped it all off with my full debut and the try."

He added: "It boosted me as soon as I scored that try, with the memory of scoring that try in the semi-final, but the kick, I'm trying to forget it."

The try was also a fitting reward for James, who began the second-half attack that led to his try when he collected a high ball deep in his own half and broke through to the Canadian 22.

The ball eventually reached James again in the left corner and he finished off the sequence by crashing over the line.

"It was a good way to make my mark on possession with Leigh in the British Lions, and Mark (Jones) has got a slight injury, so I've got to take my chance when I can," he continued.

"It's good now that we've got so many wingers in form now, with Checks (Chris Czekaj) scoring after breaking his leg in Australia. To come back like he has is unbelievable and he played well as well."