Depleted Scarlets win ten-try thriller in Port Elizabeth

PRO14 REPORT: A much-changed Scarlets side came storming back in the second half against the Southern Kings to claim an impressive 41-34 Pro14 win in Port Elizabeth.

Masixole Banda had inspired the hosts to an impressive first hour at the Madibaz Stadium but they faded late on.

And although the Scarlets were missing 20 players through injury and international call-ups they still dug deep to claim the win.

Tries from Banda, Yaw Penxe, Harlon Klaasen and Bjorn Basson had the Kings 20-10 ahead in the first half and 34-22 in the second.

But Wayne Pivac’s side produced an almighty fight back, Ioan Nicholas and Werner Kruger adding to Marc Jones and Will Boyde’s first-half scores.

And in the final ten minutes youngster Kieran Hardy and Taylor Davies both went over and the comeback was complete for the Scarlets who trim the gap to Conference B leaders Leinster who play later this weekend.

The Kings have lost all three of their clashes with the Scarlets in the Pro14 so far, including a 14-54 loss in Wales in Round Five.

But the hosts hit the ground running under the Friday night lights at the Madibaz Stadium and it was Banda calling the tune from fullback.

After Sam Hidalgo-Clyne’s early clearance failed to find touch, Banda came charging in from halfway and stepped his way through a hole and under the posts for a fine solo score.

He converted for 7-0 and then added a penalty soon after and the Kings were 10-0 to the good and the Scarlets needed a response.

Dan Jones slotted a penalty to give them a foothold but back came the Kings and again Banda produced the magic, as a length of the field counter-attack culminated in Banda’s grubber being collected by Penxe to go under the posts.

The hosts were 17-3 to the good but Pivac’s side responded almost immediately as the rolling maul got to work and Marc Jones – on his first Pro14 start of the season – dotted down.

Banda slotted another penalty to make it 20-10 with half-time approaching but the game swung either side of the break in favour of the visitors.

First Boyde burrowed over from a rolling maul and then on the resumption the back-rower combined with Hidalgo-Clyne to put Nicholas in the clear. Jones converted the second of these scores and the Scarlets were now 22-20 to the good.

Back came the Kings though, and before the 50th minute they were in front again as Harlon Klaasen forced his way over from close range after another strong Banda carry had set up the territory.

Banda converted for a 27-22 lead and a fourth try and a bonus point arrived soon after – again the Kings counter-attack doing the damage as Berton Klaasen’s kick this time found Basson to dive over and it was 34-22 to the hosts as the game entered the final quarter.

Pivac’s side – finalists last season and champions the one before – provided another response though as Kruger barged over after a steady build-up of pressure on the Kings line.

Now it was the Scarlets chasing a winning score and Jones’ touch finder putting them right on the Kings line and after going through the phases the TMO eventually awarded Hardy a score.

Jones’ conversion bisected the posts and it was 36-34 to the visitors with only five minutes left.

Then Luphumlo Mguca saw yellow for the hosts and the game was up – the Scarlets rubbing salt in the wound late on with another rolling maul try scored by Taylor Davies.

Jones missed the extras and with only a seven-point lead, the Kings sniffed a draw late on but the hosts held on for a famous win.

The scorers:

For Kings:
Tries: Banda, Penxe, H Klaasen, Basson
Cons: Banda 4
Pens: Banda 2

For Scarlets:
Tries: Hughes, Boyde, Nicholas, Kruger, Hardy, Davies
Cons: Jones 4
Pen: Jones

Yellow card: Luphumlo Mguca (Southern Kings, 76)

Teams:

Kings: 15 Masixole Banda , 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Harlon Klaasen, 12 Berton Klaasen , 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Martin du Toit, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Ruaan Lerm, 7 Andisa Ntsila, 6 Stephan de Wit, 5 JC Astle (captain), 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Luvuyo Pupuma, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Tango Balekile, 17 Justin Forwood, 18 Luphumlo Mguca, 19 Stephan Greeff, 20 Martinus Burger, 21 Rudi van Rooyen, 22 Tertius Kruger, 23 Meli Rokoua.

Scarlets: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Paul Asquith, 12 Steff Hughes (captain), 11 Ioan Nicholas, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Josh Macleod, 6 Will Boyde, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Steve Cummins, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Dafydd Hughes, 1 Phil Price.
Replacements: 16 Taylor Davies, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Simon Gardiner, 19 Tom Price, 20 Josh Helps, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Morgan Williams, 23 Ed Kennedy.

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry (South Africa), Paul Mente (South Africa)
TMO: Sean Veldsman (South Africa)

@PRO14Official