Scarlets cruise past Bayonnais
MATCH REPORT: Scarlets kicked off their Challenge Cup campaign in style as they thrashed Aviron Bayonnais 39-7 at Parc y Scarlets on Sunday.
The Welsh region ran out comfortable winners in Llanelli with tries from Ryan Conbeer, Dane Blacker, Sam Lousi, Blade Thomson and Steff Evans earning them a bonus-point victory.
Flyhalf Sam Costelow notched up a further 14 points for the hosts, while Bayonnais’ only score came courtesy of Thomas Acquier.
Scarlets’ dominance began early on, with two tries in the first ten minutes through Conbeer and Blacker.
But when Bayonne hooker Acquier scored while Scarlets No.8 Thomson was in the sin bin, it looked as if the recently promoted TOP 14 side could stage a comeback.
But resistance from the visitors’ defence proved futile; lock Lousi went over just before the break to kill the game off, with Thomson and replacement fullback Evans scoring in the second half adding further gloss to Scarlets’ win.
Up next for Scarlets is a match with the Cheetahs in Round Two on December 17, while Bayonne will host Italian side Benetton.
The scorers
For Scarlets
Tries: Conbeer, Blacker, Lousi, Thomson, Evans
Cons: Costelow 5
Pens: Costelow 2
Bayonnais
Try: Acquier
Con: Dolhagaray
Yellow cards: Blade Thomson (Scarlets, 25), Konstantine Mikautadze (Aviron Bayonnais, 33), Pieter Scholtz (Aviron Bayonnais, 550
Teams
Scarlets: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Ioan Nicholas, 12 Jonathan Davies (captain), 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Joshua Macleod, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Sione Kalamafoni, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Tom Price, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Steff Evans.
Aviron Bayonnais: 15 Martin Bogado, 14 Bastien Pourailly, 13 Peyo Muscarditz (c), 12 Guillaume Martocq, 11 Teiva Jacquelain, 10 Thomas Dolhagaray, 9 Michael Ruru, 8 Afa Amosa, 7 Geoffrey Cridge, 6 Mateaki Kafatolu, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Manuel Leindekar, 3 Chris Talakai, 2 Thomas Acquier, 1 Pieter Scholtz.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Swan Cormenier, 18 Pascal Cotet, 19 Baptiste Heguy, 20 OJ Noah, 21 Guillaume Rouet, 22 Jason Robertson, 23 Tom Spring.
Referee: Jack Makepeace
Assistant referees: Mike Hudson, Charlie Gayther
TMO: Steve Leyshon
Source: @ChallengeCup_