Scarlets trounce Connacht

Scarlets 45 Connacht 3

The Scarlets marked their final Magners League game at Stradey Park with a resounding bonus-point win which takes them above the Ospreys to the top of the table on points difference.

The seven-try victory was their third win in nine days after successes over Ulster and the Dragons.

It was obvious as early as the 11th minute, when they opted for a scrum from a penalty, that the Scarlets were targeting a bonus point from this match.

When tighthead prop Deacon Manu crossed twice in the space of five minutes they were halfway to their target.

But the Scarlets earlier had to come from behind after outside-half Ian Keatley converted a penalty goal when the home side had transgressed at the kick-off.

After that the Scarlets dominated the early quarter and through the likes of wing Dafydd James, who broke over the gain line, they got themselves into useful areas but failed to show that advantage on the scoreboard.

Manu eventually made the pressure tell after 18 minutes when he went over from a line-out after Stephen Jones had turned down a relatively easy shot at a penalty goal.

The New Zealander went over again in a similar position as the Scarlets opened up a 12-3 lead after 23 minutes.

But the Scarlets could not add to that lead in the first half, even though Connacht centre Keith Matthews was sin-binned at a ruck on 32 minutes.

In first-half injury time full-back Nathan Troy was short with a penalty.

It took the Scarlets just nine minutes of the second half to seal a bonus point.

Half-time centre replacement Jonathan Davies breezed over in the second minute, and Nathan Brew followed his example by finishing off an impressive attack started by captain Simon Easterby in his own half.

Gloss was put on the score by full-back Morgan Stoddart, who went over twice either side of a try for wing Mark Jones.

The Scarlets have just two more games at Stradey before their move to Parc y Scarlets in November – Harlequins in the Heineken Cup and an EDF Energy clash against Bristol.