SCARLETS: Ruthless Dragons run in 12 tries as young Scarlets collapse at Llandovery

The Dragons produced a ruthless second-half display to wrap up a 12-try, 80-14 win over the Scarlets in their final pre-season game at Church Bank in Llandovery.

A tight first half saw the visitors edge to a 19-14 lead, tries from Ioan Jones and Sam O’Connor keeping a young Scarlets side in touch, before a much-changed home team conceded 61 unanswered points after the break.

The Dragons started brightly and forced the home side to soak up early pressure before centre Fine Inisi opened the scoring on seven minutes.

Back came the Scarlets, a lovely miss-pass from Gareth Anscombe, playing his first game in Scarlets colours, sending wing Ioan Jones over. The Wales international converted from the touchline to level it.

The home team grew into the contest, Sam O’Connor, George Roberts and Tristan Davies prominent up front and captain Archie Hughes a livewire at scrum-half.

On 25 minutes the Scarlets went ahead, loose-head O’Connor bursting onto a pass and showing good strength to cross, Anscombe converting for 14-7.

A first-half lead surrendered before the break

That was as good as it got. The Dragons finished the half the stronger, replacement Seb Davies and number eight Harri Keddie both crossing to make it 19-14 at the interval.

The Scarlets made a raft of changes at the break, mainly up front, and after conceding from the restart they could not stem what followed.

The Dragons themselves made nine half-time changes, and one of them, Wales hooker Elliot Dee, made an immediate impact as a driving lineout was crunched over, Tinus de Beer converting.

Nine second-half tries for a rampant Dragons

A line break sent Evan Minto into space and over, before de Beer grabbed a score of his own to cap a three-try burst that ended the game as a contest.

Quick hands from the backs put Rhodri Williams over untouched for the seventh, before Dee repeated his early try from another driving maul on the hour.

Wing Harry Rees-Weldon showed his finishing with a big hand-off and a cruise over as the Dragons hit 40 unanswered points in 23 minutes.

Sam Scarfe scored from another powerful maul minutes after coming on, and David Richards was sent over from a neat backs move.

The final flourish saw Joe Westwood capitalise on a loose ball and hack through to finish, sealing the 80-14 win.

The Scarlets open their BKT United Rugby Championship season at home to Cardiff on Saturday 26 September.

Scarlets

Isaac Murray-Macgregor, Ioan Jones, Jac Davies, Gabe McDonald, Iori Badham; Gareth Anscombe, Archie Hughes (capt); Sam O’Connor, George Roberts, Harri O’Connor, Gabe Cahsay, Jac Price, Tristan Davies, Dan Davis, Osian Williams.

Replacements: Corey Domachowski, Gabe Hawley, Will Evans, Harvey Cuckson, Dom Kossuth, Tiaan Sparrow, Josh Morse, Harry Thomas, Ioan Nicholas, Callum Woolley, George Macdonald, Joe Denman.

Dragons

Cai Evans, Rio Dyer, Fine Inisi, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser; Tinus de Beer, Che Hope; Rhodri Jones, Oli Burrows, Robert Hunt, Levi Douglas, Barny Langton-Cryer, Ryan Woodman, Thomas Young, Harri Keddie.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Chris Coleman, Owain James, Wyn Jones, Seb Davies, Matthew Screech, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harry Beddall, Evan Minto, Rhodri Williams, Morgan Lloyd, Jac Lloyd, Fetuli Paea, David Richards, Joe Westwood, Harry Rees-Weldon, Sam Scarfe.