Scarlets triumph over Dragons

 

Dragons centre Tyler Morgan crossed for the first try of the match before Owens and Scott Williams ensured Scarlets held a 17-10 half-time lead.

 

That advantage was only stretched after the interval as Liam Williams and Harry Robinson wrapped up a four-try bonus point and lifted their side above Edinburgh into sixth place in the table.

 

Heading into the game, the Dragons had recorded just one victory over their provincial rivals in 13 attempts but they were the first to land a heavy blow at the Millennium Stadium.

 

Priestland's early penalty had given Scarlets a 3-0 lead when, with 17 minutes on the clock, Morgan powered over in the corner and Dorian Jones duly added the extras.

 

Jones' penalty then extended that advantage to 10-3 but their opponents began to slowly get themselves a foothold in the game.

 

And a quick-fire try double just before half-time turned the game on its head.

 

Firstly, after a turnover deep in their own half, Scarlets worked the ball down the field and Owens eventually crossed the whitewash.

 

Then, less than two minutes later, the Dragons' misery was compounded as good work by Liam Williams allowed a supporting Scott Williams to dot down for the score.

 

The trusty boot of Priestland converted both to give his side a 17-10 lead going into the interval.

 

That burst just before the break seemed to subdue Dragons' fight and just two minutes into the second-half, Liam Williams got a try of his own – the Welsh international the beneficiary after a spell of sustained pressure.

 

With the Scarlets now playing with increased confidence, another extended spell of pressure ended with them wrapping up the four-try bonus point.

 

The ball was eventually worked wide and 22-year-old Robinson gleefully dived over for his fifth Pro12 try of the season.

 

That score was enough to quell any thoughts of a Dragons comeback and, in fact, they almost conceded try number five on 75 minutes but the TMO ruled that Liam Williams was stopped from grounding the ball by a combination of Morgan and Amos.

 

The defeat leaves them ninth in the table, now 12 points behind the Scarlets.

 

 

Try: Morgan

Con: Jones

Pens: Jones

 

Tries: Priestland, Scott Williams, Liam Williams, Robinson

Cons: Priestland 3

Pens: Priestland

 

 

Dragons: 15 Geraint Rhys Jones, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Dorian Jones, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 James Benjamin, 6 James Thomas, 5 Rynard Landman (captain), 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Rhys Buckley, 1 Phil Price.

Replacements: 16 T. Rhys Thomas, 17 Luke Garrett, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Nick Crosswell, 20 Ollie Griffiths, 21 Luc Jones, 22 Carl Meyer, 23 Ashton Hewitt.

 

Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies, 8 John Barclay, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Peter Edwards, 2 Ken Owens (captain), 1 Phil John.

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Rob McCusker, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Regan King.

 

 

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy (Wales), Sean Brickell (Wales)

TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)