Scarlets too strong for Edinburgh at home
MATCH REPORT: The Scarlets players put all the contract uncertainty in Welsh rugby behind them to romp to a 42-14 bonus point win at home over Edinburgh.
The hosts came into the game on the back of a run of seven wins in eight games and demonstrated that confidence with a slick move from a lineout on halfway.
The forwards led the way with a stream of turnovers and penalties to lay the platform, but the Scarlets were also happy to spread the ball wide to create opportunities.
Blindside wing Steff Evans and full-back Johnny McNicholl created the space on the left for wing Ryan Conbeer, who still had a fair bit to do to muscle his way over the line for the try.
There were no such problems for the second try as flanker Vaea Fifita earned himself a clear 60-yard run to the line after picking off a pass from Edinburgh centre James Lang.
The centre atoned with the break which led to a short-range try for prop Murray McCallum, but it was the home side who finished the half the stronger with lock Sam Lousi offloading for wing Evans to score.
The wing turned provider early in the second half, bumping off the tacklers to send the ball wide for Conbeer to add his second try.
Confidence oozed from the Scarlets with McNicholl deciding to run from deep, with a chip and chase seeing him past the first defenders, a pass putting Fifita in for a run to the line, before he passed to scrum-half Gareth Davies once over the try line.
Edinburgh did have a spell of pressure which resulted in a try for prop Boan Venter, a predictably short-range effort after number eight Viliame Mata had lured in the defence.
The Scarlets had the last word as they ran through their party pieces in the closing minutes, replacement Eddie James making his debut and scoring a try under the posts.
The scorers:
For Scarlets:
Tries: Conbeer 2, Fifita, S Evans, G Davies, James
Cons: Costelow 3, D Jones 3
For Edinburgh:
Tries: McCallum, Venter
Cons: Savala 2
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Johnny McNicholl, 14 Steff Evans, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Ioan Nicholas, 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Sione Kalamafoni (captain), 7 Dan Davis, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Morgan Jones, 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Shaun Evans, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Taylor Davies, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Ben Williams, 20 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Eddie James.
Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Damien Hoyland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 James Lang, 11 Jack Blain, 10 Charlie Savala, 9 Charlie Shiel, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Nick Haining, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 4 Glen Young, 3 Murray McCallum, 2 Dave Cherry (captain), 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Jamie Jack, 18 Lee-Roy Atalifo, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Connor Boyle, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Chris Dean.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Jason Bessant (Wales) & Simon Mills (Wales)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)