A slow start from the home side in Llanelli saw Pau build a substantial lead in the first quarter with a double from explosive wing Toshi Butlin and scores from fly-half Clement Mondinat and former Scarlet Carywn Tuipulotu putting the French in the ascendancy.
Having given themselves a mountain to climb, Scarlets to their credit, led from the front by captain Josh Macleod then improved to reply with three tries of their own.
Wales flanker Macleod going over twice, whilst scrum-half Archie Hughes dotted down just before the break to put the West Wallians within two points in a topsy-turvy first 40 played with attacking intent.
Further scores from Taine Plumtree and Joe Hawkins helped the Scarlets take advantage of an extra man after the French had shown ill-discipline, but it would be Pau who would have a little bit extra quality to turn the tide once more.
A fresh Pau replacements bench changing the context of the battle midway through the second period, and with tired Scarlets bodies exposed, the French would punish mistakes.
Remi Seneca, Theo Attissogbe and Siate Tokolahi all going over to claim the bonus point victory for the visitors, leaving the home side with a demoralising defeat and pointless on the night.
Whilst it would be another defeat for Peel’s strugglers, who drop to fifth in the Pool, the former Wales scrum-half admitted that lapses in key moments lost his side the game, but he also felt that there were positives in his side’s performance to take away.
“It is frustrating because there’s to side’s that have come here with high quality and we’ve competed really hard,” said Peel after the match.
“It is a game of moments. After a slow start, where we looked a bit nervous in the first 20 minutes, we settled into the game.
“I think there were parts of the game where we were really good
“We have a knock on under the sticks and they go the length and score off the back of it. But that is the ball game.
“At this level, those moments matter. There are moments in games you have to take advantage of and they did.
“It was a positive performance in some ways for us, so we got to build on that.
Scarlets must beat Northampton Saints away next Sunday to keep slim hopes of finishing in the pool’s top four alive, while Pau play Bulls on Friday.
Scarlets are currently fifth which would be enough to drop into the knockout phases of the Challenge Cup competition.
“What we have next week, though is a big task now at Franklin’s Gardens against a Northampton team who are outstanding at the minute, playing some good rugby.
“It’s going to be a bit challenge for us, but one that is exciting.
“I believe we are fifth in the table, so it is still all to play for. Bulls have to travel as do we.
“The message for us will be that there is a tangible opportunity for us to qualify.”
[Lead image: Scarlets Rugby]
