Scarlets Secure Bonus Point in Samson’s 100th Game

Following two weeks on the road, recording one bonus point win in Italy along with a losing point in Ireland, the Scarlets were back home in Parc y Scarlets for the visit of Edinburgh.
A victory would be important for both teams to put their seasons back on track with Richard Cockerill’s men suffering a shock defeat against a rejuvinated Benetton team last weekend while the Scarlets’ cracker against Ulster in Kinspan saw the home team cling on to their lead.
Prop Samson Lee had the honour of leading out his team on his 100th appearance for the region as the Scarlets started with their full contingent of Lions as the home team aimed to avoid becoming the third Welsh scalp for the Scottish capital city team.
It was a slow start to proceedings for both sides as neither team really imposed themselves with both making basic errors as the reigning Champions hoped to maintain the home record that has been in place since defeat at the hands of Munster in the first game of last season.
The Scarlets finally managed to string together some of their typical attacking game but even then found it difficult to penetrate the solid Edinburgh defence.
They eventually opened the scoring following some quick thinking from Scrum Half Gareth Davies who took the tap penalty from thirty metres out and galloped for the try line. He was tackled just short but managed to recycle the ball for Rhys Patchell to dive over for the opening try. Leigh Halfpenny added the extras to give the Scarlets a 7 points to 0 lead.
A second try was added just after the half hour mark as the home team snapped up the loose ball before Gareth Davies dived over. Halfpenny again added a trickier conversion to increase the Scarlets’ lead to 14 points to 0.
Edinburgh finally managed to opening their scoring with a penalty from Outside Half Duncan Weir in the final mintues of the half and it looked like the half would end with the Scarlets leading 14 points to 3. However, during the last play, Edinburgh Captain Magnus Bradbury squeezed over in the corner for the visitors’ opening try. Weir’s kick was just wide of the posts, but the teams ran in for half time with the Scarlets’ lead reduced to 14 points to 8.
The second half started with the Scarlets’ intent evident. Solid defence from Edinburgh twich denied Steff Evans out wide before the visitors were reduced to 14 men as Prop Michele Rizzo was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Gareth Davies who was subsequently replaced by Aled Davies.
Try number three was the result of some good forward pressure from the Scarlets that saw Samson Lee’s replacement Werner Kruger claim the touchdown. A superb conversion attempt from Halfpenny once more extended the home team’s lead to 21 points to 8.
The Scarlets secured the bonus point just after the hour mark as Aled Davies broke through the Edinburgh defence before the Scarlets recycled the ball to Aaron Shingler who strolled over for try number 4. Leigh Halfpenny maintained his 100% kicking record to add the conversion as the Scarlets’ lead increased to 28 points to 8 and it seemed that the home team had found their flair.
As a game of rugby, it wasn’t quite the spectacle that most have come to expect every time the Scarlets run on to the pitch, however, it was ‘job done’ as far as securing a bonus point win is concerned…something the Scarlets have succeeded in doing 3 out of 4 rounds thus far this season to the delight of the 8,088 in attendance.
Next Friday evening, the Scarlets welcome Connacht to Parc y Scarlets for Round 5 of this season’s Pro14. Kick-off is at 7.35pm.