SCARLETS HOLD THE DERBY ACES
DAI Young was in no mood to mince words after Cardiff had been seen off by a 14-man Scarlets on Saturday night.
Young watched his side succumb to a side who were comfortably better despite their numerical disadvantage.
The reality was that Sione Kalamafoni’s red card in the 44th minute seemed to galvanise the hosts and their supporters and they roared to victory, with a late James Botham try making the scoreline look a little more respectable than it deserved to be for Cardiff.
“We can’t brush this under the carpet because it wasn’t good enough,” said Cardiff’s director of rugby.
“We came second best in every area. We have to ask ourselves why and make sure that it doesn’t become a regular occurrence.
“I don’t want to make too much of an issue of it but you have to ask questions.”
Dwayne Peel’s side now sit top of the Welsh Shield in the United Rugby Championship and their victory was largely masterminded by man of the match Johnny Mcnicholl on his 100th appearance for the club.
Diminutive fly-halves Jarrod Evans and Sam Costelow traded early penalties but, in truth, the match was lacking any real edge in the opening exchanges and the sparse crowd at Parc y Scarlets was a little flat.
The game was desperate for a try and it was provided by Josh Adams in the 13th minute. Cardiff regathered a loose ball after a kick into the Scarlets half and Ben Thomas sent another one over towards Adams.
The Wales international beat Tom Rogers to the ball, hacked over Mcnicholl and outsprinted Scott Williams to the grounding. It was a brilliant finish that Evans converted.
The Scarlets were level just minutes later as Costelow spotted tighthead Dillon Lewis in the defensive line before rounding his man, powering away from Tomos Williams and scoring a brilliant solo try from 35 metres before converting it.
He missed a shot at goal and his opposite number landed one on the half-hour mark to edge Cardiff back into the lead. But the hosts finished the half strongly.
Cardiff indiscipline gave them access to the 22 and it was Mcnicholl who stood up Jason Harries and dusted him on the outside.
Centre Williams thought he’d scored but the TMO showed he was just short. From the attacking scrum, the Scarlets won three consecutive penalties before Cardiff tight-head Lewis was sent to the naughty step for 10 minutes.
From the next scrum, Sione Kalamafoni picked off the base and powered through little resistance. Costelow converted and the Scarlets led 22-13 at the break.
Absolute chaos ensued in the 15 minutes after half-time. Firstly, Kalamafoni was shown a red card for a high tackle on Gwilym Bradley four minutes in.
Six minutes later Adams was sent for 10 minutes after what was deemed a deliberate knock-on and Costelow added another three points from the penalty.
Then the Scarlets went from inside their own half to score a belter with Tomas Lezana linking with Jonathan Davies, who carried deep into the Cardiff 22. Mcnicholl then took the ball, dummied to kick and sidestepped his way under the posts, with Costelow’s conversion making it 3213 to the hosts.
Costelow knocked over a penalty in the final 10 minutes and Botham added a late consolation try.