The Scarlets are clinging to Heineken Cup survival after completing the double against Glasgow at Stradey Park. Gareth Jenkins’ men are sitting on the shoulder of Pool 3 rivals Toulouse and Northampton, but need a rare win in France in January if they are to continue their impressive record of making the Cup playoffs in five of the past six seasons.
The Scarlets opened the scoring with a beautifully worked try to winger Aisea Havili. The home side retained possession through numerous phases as they dragged the Glasgow defence from one side of the pitch to the other, and Tongan star Havili – one of the fastest men in the British game – scored in the corner.
Havili’s speed meant nothing moments later, however, as opposite number Gareth MacLure handed him off as if he was a pesky fly to score out wide. It was a deserved try for the Glasgow winger, who was in a scoring position in the previous move before being tackled without the ball by Scarlets fly-half Gareth Bowen, who was sent to the sin-bin for the indiscretion.
Scarlets winger Tal Selley made national coach Mike Ruddock sit up and take notice with a superb individual try from well inside his own half. Selley ghosted inside MacLure and left veteran Glasgow fullback Kenny Logan for dead in a perfectly angled sprint for the line that brought the crowd to their feet.
The blonde winger’s next run was to the sideline as French referee Joel Jutge handed out his second yellow card of the match, penalising Selley for an intentional knock-down which stopped a promising Glasgow attack.
The Scarlets’ momentum came to a shuddering halt in the opening stages of the second half when Bowen made a break through the brittle Glasgow defence, before undoing all his good work by ignoring a two-man overlap. From the ensuing ruck, the ball was spun wide and intercepted by visiting winger Sean Lamont who ran 95 metres to give his side the lead for the first time in the match.
Three Bowen penalty goals in five minutes gave the Scarlets a 21-15 lead, before the young fly-half threw out a beautiful long pass to put Havili over for his second try. Lock Vernon Cooper bagged the bonus-point try from a lineout drive, and Selley completed the rout after joining the line at an unstoppable angle.
Glasgow’s replacement hooker Scott Lawson scored a consolation try deep into injury time.
Llanelli Scarlets 38 Glasgow 22
HT: 12-8 Attendance: 4,500
Llanelli Scarlets: G Evans (capt); A Havili, M Watkins, S Finau, T Selley; G Bowen, D Peel; P John, M Rees, J Davies, V Cooper, C Wyatt, D Jones, G Thomas, D Hodges
Scorers: Tries – T Selley (2), A Havili (2), V Cooper; Cons – G Bowen, M Watkins; Pens – G Bowen (3);
Glasgow: K Logan; G MacLure, G Morrison, A Henderson, S Lamont; C Howarth, G Beveridge; K Tkachuk, G Bulloch, E Murray, A Hall, D Turner, A Wilson, D MacFadyen, J Petrie (capt)
Scorers: Tries – S Lamont, G MacLure, S Lawson; Cons – C Howarth (2); Pen – C Howarth;
Man of the match: V Cooper (Llanelli Scarlets)
Match points: Llanelli Scarlets 5 pts; Glasgow 0 pts
Referee: Joel Jutge (France)
