Scarlets red-faced as Dragons roar

Newport Gwent Dragons 15 Llanelli Scarlets 0

Defending champions Llanelli slumped to their second successive Celtic League defeat at a rain-swept Rodney Parade tonight.

And it could have been a lot worse for the struggling Scarlets, who were fortunate not to have their former Wales and Lions number eight Scott Quinnell sent off.

Quinnell escaped with a yellow card, rather than red, following a reckless lunge at Dragons skipper Jason Forster.

Quinnell’s arm-led smash left Forster requiring lengthy treatment before he was able to resume.

Quinnell’s departure to the sin-bin briefly left Llanelli with 13 players as flanker Gavin Thomas was also off the field after receiving a yellow card for a technical offence.

Fly-half Ceri Sweeney was the Dragons’ match-winner, kicking five penalties from five attempts, but the home side should have won by an even more comfortable margin.

Centre Hal Luscombe was twice guilty of wasting gilt-edged scoring opportunities, and wing Gareth Wyatt was twice denied by some superb last-gasp Llanelli defending.

The Scarlets, beaten at home by the Neath-Swansea Ospreys last week, offered little in a game that was dominated by the conditions and two well-drilled defences.

Quinnell, with his trademark battering ram runs, was their most potent attacking weapon, but the Dragons defence proved well up to the task, and new coach Chris Anderson will be delighted that they shut the visitors out.

Sweeney booted his opening points after seven minutes, and then added a second penalty midway through the half.

Llanelli had a prolonged spell of pressure near the Dragons’ line, but the home side denied them and enjoyed a six-point interval lead even though flanker Jamie Ringer was sin-binned by referee Andy Ireland for throwing a punch.

Llanelli lost Thomas and Quinnell with yellow cards during the third quarter, and Quinnell’s indiscretion was suitably punished by Sweeney completing his penalty hat- trick.

Sweeney continued to find his range, landing two further strikes during the closing 12 minutes, and there was no way back for a Llanelli side desperately short on attacking ideas.

Scarlets boss Gareth Jenkins must now come up with some answers, or his team’s title challenge is in danger of quickly fading.

On this form they also have little chance of progressing from a tough Heineken Cup qualifying group that also includes French giants Toulouse and current Zurich Premiership leaders Northampton.