Lam wants more from Connacht

Guinness Pro12: Scarlets 32 Connacht Rugby 14: Connacht’s top six qualification hopes were give a shake-up when they were outgunned by fellow hopefuls Scarlets in yesterday’s lunchtime Pro12 clash.

Scarlets wrapped up the win and bonus point by the 50th minute. Connacht stay in sixth place but Pat Lam’s side will need to find some improved away form to get their season back on track. Lam admitted: “We had quite a young group out there, but we did not execute well, and the flow changed with indiscipline.”

Connacht out-half Jack Carty opened the scoring with a fourth-minute penalty. But when Scarlets’ John Barclay was carded in the eighth minute, Connacht failed to make the advantage count. Firstly the hosts halted Connacht’s drive to the line and turned over possession, and then Matt Healy was denied a certain try through deliberate obstruction by Jake Heenan. At the other end, Adam Shingler landed two penalties, before right wing Michael Tacigikabau crossed out wide to kick-start the home side’s bonus-point win. Scarlets capitalised on a lost Connacht lineout with left wing Harry Robinson crossing. Adam Shingler made it a 16-3 lead before Scarlets’ full-back Jordan Williams intercepted and raced the length of the pitch for a try. Connacht struck two penalties either side of the break but James Davis scored a Scarlets try to wrap up the bonus point by the 51st minute. Connacht frustrations boiled over and captain John Muldoon was carded and the visitors could only muster a Nikyi Adeolukun consolation try.

SCARLETS: J Williams, H Robinson, R King, H Parkes, M Tagicakibau, S Shingler, A Davies, P John, K Owens [c], P Edwards, L Rawlins, J Snyman, A Shingler, J Davies, J Barclay.

Replacements: G Davies for A Davies and A Warren for King (41m), K Phillips for Tagicakbau (57), G Earle for Rawlins (59), A McCusker for A Shingler (63), J Adriaanse for Edwards an R Elias for Owens (65).

CONNACHT: D Leader, N Adeolokun, D Poolman, D McSharry, M Healy, J Carty, K Marmion, D Buckley, T McCartney, N White, Q Roux, A Muldowney, J Muldoon (cpt), J Heenan, G Naoupu.

Replacements: I Porter for Marmion (29), T O’Halloran for Leader (44), U Dillane for Roux (57), E Masterson for Naoupu (59), D Heffernan for McCartney and JP Cooney for Buckley (62), S O’Leary for Carty (72).

Referee: Maius Mitrea (Italy).