Scarlets stunned by late Cardiff fightback

United Rugby Championship

Scarlets (5) 24

Tries: Plumtree, J Williams, Blacker, Murray  Cons: Hawkins (2)

Cardiff (7) 28

Tries: B Thomas, Sebastian 2, Winnett Cons: Sheedy 4

Scarlets will be wondering how they failed to gain derby day delights against Cardiff as ill-discipline cost them dear after leading 24-7 going into the final ten minutes of the contest.

The hosts looked like they were going to pull off only a fifth URC triumph, but it would be Cardiff who would keep alive their play-off hopes with a dramatic bonus-point comeback win following yellow cards for Wales internationals Taine Plumtree and Blair Murray.

Replacement prop Javan Sebastian barging over twice, laying heartbreak on his former side as the West Wallians failed to deal with the numbers game, whilst Wales full back Cam Winnett was also amongst the scoring in a clinical spell for the Blues.

An even first half had seen the Blue and Blacks hold a slender lead at the break after Wales centre Ben Thomas had squeezed in at the corner to open the scoring after Scarlets had lost wing Ellis Mee in the open exchanges.

Scarlets flanker Plumtree responded for Nigel Davies’ side after the early setback, dotting down after a series of line-out attacks.

The hosts started the quicker of the two sides in the second 40 and were rewarded for their pressure with an early score. Johnny Williams benefitting from a flowing move created by impressive scrum-half Dane Blacker, who would find Plumtree out wide to feed inside for the centre to finish.

Blacker would then turn from provider to scorer minutes later, combining with Ospreys-bound back Tom Rogers to extend the advantage after a Cardiff lineout was stolen.

Further points would be incoming as the hosts started to tighten the screw, marking daylight on the scoreboard with a bonus point fourth. A slick move off a line-out on halfway, seeing Rogers break free before centre Joe Roberts combined with replacement Blair Murray to race away to score under the posts.

What came next, not one of the 9,000-plus crowd in Llanelli would be able to have seen coming as the game found its turning point.

First flanker Plumtree turned from hero to zero after being shown a yellow for cynical disruption in the breakdown, his seventh sin bin of the season, after killing the ball dead as Cardiff pushed towards the Scarlets try line.

The offense proved to be a turning point with prop Sebastian bulldozing his way through from close-range almost immediately, rejuvenating the visitors.

Things would then go from bad to worse for Scarlets with Liam Botham setting up Winnett for a third try, before Murray would also find himself on the wrong side of the referee and in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on.

With Cardiff sensing blood in the final minutes, they would throw the kitchen sink at their rivals, who would be overwhelmed. The powerful Sebastian eventually going over after several phases for his second in the final minute to secure the win that kept his side’s hopes of a top-eight place firmly alive.

For Scarlets, it will feel like a missed opportunity as they remain in 14th place in the standings, with Davies’ side set to welcome high-flying Vodacom Bulls next weekend, before derbies with Ospreys and Dragons close the season.

Scarlets XV:

15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Eddie James, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker, 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Archer Holz, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jarrod Taylor, 8 Fletcher Anderson (captain).

Replacements:

16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Jac Price, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Joe Roberts.

[Lead image: Scarlets Rugby]