Beirne to fore as Scarlets bridge 11-year gap

THE Scarlets secured a European Champions Cup semi-final place for the first time in 11 years as Leigh Halfpenny masterminded victory over La Rochelle.

Halfpenny’s 19-point haul – five penalties and conversions of second-half tries from Rhys Patchell and Scott Williams – and an outstanding performance from Munsterbound second-row Tadhg Beirne helped the Scarlets into a 29-10 lead before the French visitors got a late consolation.

The triumph at a sold-out Parcy-Scarlets means they will face Leinster or Saracens next month for a place in the final.

It is the first time since 2007 that the Scarlets have reached the last four.

And La Rochelle could have few complaints, despite tries by Romain Sazy and Pierre Boudehent. The French side, making their Champions Cup debut this season, paid for that lack of experience, conceding several penalties through technical indiscipline.

The Scarlets, last season’s PRO12 champions, fielded 11 Wales internationals in their starting line-up under the captaincy of Scotland skipper John Barclay. La Rochelle were without two key men: All Black back-row Victor Vito and France centre Geoffrey Doumayrou.

Halfpenny’s boot had the Scarlets 12-10 ahead at the interval.

After the break, Halfpenny stretched the lead, and then the Scarlets withstood a barrage of pressure in their 22 before storming up-field and prising open La Rochelle’s defence for Patchell’s decisive try.