Scarlets (24) 36
Tries: Taylor (2), Lousi, Page, Mee, Davis Cons: Leggatt-Jones (3)
Zebre (0) 17
Tries: Gesi, Stavile, Odiase Con: Da Re
In a battle of the league’s bottom two sides, Scarlets came out on top, running in six tries against the off-colour Italians in Llanelli.
It would be one-way traffic in the first half as Taylor, Sam Lousi, Macs Page, and returning Wales wing Ellis Mee all crossed as Zebre offered very little in attack.
Dan Davis extended the Scarlets lead shortly after the restart, before Simone Gesi hit back for the visitors.
Taylor added his second of the evening to add gloss to the scoreline, while tries from Bautista Stavile and David Odiase gave the away support something to shout about late on.
The West Walians had been boosted by the return of their Wales Six Nations contingent ahead of the contest. Skipper Josh Macleod, full-back Blair Murray, wings Tom Rogers and Mee, and hooker Ryan Elias all coming back into the XV from last weekend’s defeat against Connacht.
The Scarlets made a fast start as scrum-half Archie Hughes spotted flanker Taylor in space on the right and he did the rest to touch down in the corner in just the second minute.
The home side extended their lead on 13 minutes with lock Lousi barging over from close range from a driving maul lineout, with young fly-half Carywn Leggatt-Jones adding the extras.
Centre Page’s angled run saw him power in under the posts for the third after ground was made by man of the match Archer Holz, and not long later, the bonus point was secured within the first 40 minutes as Mee strolled over.
Davis capitalised on another line-out drive after the break before Zebre got on the board through wing Simone Gesi.
Page caught the visitors napping after the restart, feeding Taylor for his second of the night to move Scarlets further ahead. But two tries in the last minute for Zebre from replacement flankers Bautista Stavile and Davide Odiase gave the score a bit more respectability. It would, however, end in a comfortable victory for the hosts.
Scarlets move above Dragons overnight into 14th in the URC table before a tough trip to Leinster next weekend, while Zebre remain at the bottom of the standings.
Scarlets XV
15 Blair Murray; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Macs Page, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 9 Archie Hughes; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Archer Holz, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 8 Fletcher Anderson.
Replacements:
16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Henry Thomas, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Jac Price, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Joe Hawkins, 23 Ioan Jones.
[Lead image: Scarlets Rugby]
