Scarlets secure key victory
The Scarlets got the job done in Brive on Saturday night, recording a tight 20-17 victory over the Top 14 team in their Round Six, Pool Six, Heineken Cup clash.
Brive enjoyed a great first 30 minutes of the clash, scoring two tries to open up a 10-0 lead.
Hooker Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux started the scoring 20 minutes in before, seven minutes later, Argentinean wing Horacio Agulla extending the Top 14 sides lead.
The Scarlets though, still hoping to force themselves into contention for an AMlin CHallenge Cup spot, were soon on the scoreboard.
Flyhalf Stephen Jones slotted over a penalty ten minutes before the break.
Two minutes from half time then it was second row Damien Welch scored an important try for the Welsh side. Jones's conversion meant the teams went into half time locked at 10-all but the momentum was undoubtably with Nigel Davies' side.
Six minutes after the restart Morgan Stoddart put his team ahead, 17-10, with his try.
South African centre Ronnie Cooke tied up the game just short of the hour mark, scoring his team third try, but a Jones penalty just four minutes later restored the Welsh region to the lead.
Holding on to record a 20-17 win, the Scarlets leapfrogged ahead of London Irish into second place in Pool Six and secured a spot in the final eight of the Amlin Challenge Cup.
The Scorers
For Brive
Tries: Bonrepaux, Agulla, Cooke
Cons: Orguera
For Scarlets
Tries: Welch, Stoddard
Pen: Jones 2
Cons: Jones 2
Brive: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Régis Bianco, 10 Andy Goode, 9 Jean-Baptiste Pejoine, 8 Steve Thompson, 7 Fabien Domingo, 6 Alix Popham (captain), 5 Retief Uys, 4 Thibault Dubarry, 3 Petrisor Toderasc, 2 Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux, 1 Pablo Henn.
Replacements: 16 Guillaume Ribes, 17 Davit Kinchagishvili, 18 Christian Short, 19 Simon Azoulai, 20 Shaun Perry, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Alexis Palisson, 23 Pascal Idieder.
Scarlets: 15 Daniel Evans, 14 Morgan Stoddart, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Jon Davies, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 David Lyons, 7 Josh Turnbull, 6 Rob McCusker, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Damian Welch, 3 Deacon Manu, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Iestyn Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Phil John, 18 Rhys Thomas, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Jon Edwards, 21 Lee Williams, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Gareth Maule.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Barry O'Keeffe (Ireland)
TMO: Tom Redmond (Ireland)