Scarlets Heartbreak As Racing Secure Away Win

Hot on the heels of the victory against the Ospreys, the Scarlets were offered the opportunity to build on that success with the start of this season’s Champions Cup campaign.
Last season’s runners up, Racing 92 were the visitors to Parc y Scarlets, boasting big name signings like Joe Rokocoko, Leone Nakarawa and Simon Zebo among the ranks as the home side hoped to make a better start than last season when they lost both their opening games.
Llanelli RFC actually played this team for the first time back in 1904 out in Paris before they became known as Racing.
Great work at the breakdown from Will Boyde offered the Scarlets an early opportunity to attack as they found themselves in the Racing 22, opting to kick for the corner rather than attempt three points, following a superb touch finder from Angus O’Brien. Working through the phases, the forwards inched ever closer to the try line but were called back for the scrum.
Leigh Halfpenny put the Scarlets ahead just before the 10 minute mark with an easy shot right in front of the posts to give the home team an early 3 points to 0 lead.
Racing were soon back in Scarlets territory and following a charge down, it was a foot race to touch the ball down, one which fortunately the home team won.
Finn Russell did cross for Racing, however the try was disallowed due to the ball being knocked on in the build up to the score, so the Scarlets were offered the chance to clear from the scrum. Sterling work from the forwards secured the penalty and the Scarlets were back in possession and back in the Racing half.
Another superb kick from O’Brien got the biggest cheer of the afternoon as he shook off his initial nerves to put the Scarlets in a strong attacking position in what had been a very scrappy first half of the game.
The half ended in disaster for the Scarlets, who would have been satisfied with a 3-0 lead at half time. O’Brien appeared to go down, losing the ball in the tackle before Baptiste Chouzenoux crossed for a simple try, after being on the end of a perfectly timed off-load. It was converted by Finn Russell to put Racing ahead at half time by 3 points to 7. Worryingly, O’Brien remained on the floor after his team mates had run in and had to be helped off.
With Dan Jones replacing O’Brien for the second half and Tom Price on for Jake Ball who appeared to be struggling with a leg injury, the Scarlets ran out for the second half, hoping to settle things and stamp out the errors of the first half.
With play deep in the Racing 22, the Scarlets finally cross the whitewash with Scrum Half, Gareth Davies darting down the blind side to squeeze over in the corner. Halfpenny was wide with the tricky conversion as the Scarlets took the lead once more by 8 points to 7.
A matter of minutes later, and a clever grubber kick from Jonathan Davies found Johnny McNicholl who dived over for the try. Again, Halfpenny was unable to add the extras as the Scarlets extended their lead to 13 points to 7.
Beautiful hands saw the Scarlets once more in Racing territory as they appeared hungry for their third try, however the handling on both sides ensured the scoreboard was remained at just the 6 point difference.
With just 5 minutes remaining of the match, the visitors were deep in the Scarlets 22, hoping to snatch victory right at the death, opting to kick for the corner in an attempt to test the Scarlets’ defence.
A huge call from the referee Matthew Carley saw the Englishman award a penalty a try for the visitors along with a yellow card for Gareth Davies to give them the narrowest of margins – 13 points to 14.
Finn Russell was offered the chance to extend Racing’s lead, however his kick was wide. Despite a much better second half performance, the Scarlets cruelly succumbed to an opening round defeat at the hands of the French.
Next Friday, the Scarlets travel to Leicester to face the Tigers in the second round, aiming to secure an important away win.