Protheroe stars in first half before Scarlets bring on the heavy mob

SCARLETS scored 21 unanswered points to inflict a second preseason defeat on Bristol.

Wayne Pivac’s visitors trailed 26-12 at half time following a hat-trick from Matt Protheroe and an effort from former Scarlets openside Dan Thomas.

The Welsh region started the game with an experimental side, but the introduction of their international contingent in the second half saw them come from behind.

Pivac believes that despite the win over the Championship side, last season’s PRO12 champions must improve before the new campaign.

“I think if you look at that second half in isolation it was 21-0 and we could have dominated that game quite well,” said the New Zealander.

“We got a bit ahead of ourselves and thought we could turn up and play like we did in the PRO12 final. It was a wake-up call and showed we still have a lot of work to do.

“A couple of their tries were like a training run. In the second half we had a lot more line discipline, a lot more energy in defence, and we secured a turnover and scored through Ryan Elias.

“I felt we just thought it was going to happen in that first half. This was a big step-up from last week, which is what we needed and it showed if you don’t bring line-speed and are a bit disjointed in defence sides are going to score tries against you. That’s what happened in the first half.

“We will be able to show the good and the bad from this game and hopefully there will be more good against Gloucester next week.”

Bristol started the stronger of the two sides with Protheroe scoring in the left hand corner, following a stunning break from Jordan Williams. The former Scarlets fullback seems to have been forgotten by Welsh fans, but was a constant threat whenever he got the ball.

Scarlets hit back almost immediately with new signing Morgan Williams crossing in the corner after some brilliant interplay between backs and forwards.

Protheroe and Morgan Williams exchanged further scores, before Thomas’ try and Protheroe’s third completed the first-half scoring.

Pivac’s Scarlets had been rocked in the opening 40, but they showed their true colours in the second half with tries from Elias, Steff Evans and Rhys Patchell.

Elias and Evans – who both won their first Wales caps earlier this summer – dived over and, with the scores level at 26-26 on 80 minutes, the Scarlets launched a blistering counter attack from deep.

Patchell was on the end of the move, crossing under the posts in what was the final play.

The fly-half converted his own try to bring the game to a close.

Despite his team’s defeat Bristol boss Lam believes his team are making fine progress as they continue to prepare for their Championship opener with Hartbury on September 3.

“I’m not disappointed at all, pre season is about trying our structures and systems,” Lam said.

“You could easily go and play teams and beat them by 50 points, but you don’t learn anything from that. We’ve got Connacht next week and that will be another tough test to make sure we’re in good shape. All the focus is on making sure we’re in a good place for Hartbury.”

Flood’s conversion took the score to 26-0 but Titans got on the board with the final play of the half through a Drew Cheshire try.

Radwan raced from half-way for his second try early in the second half and Newcastle continued to find points when Cameron Cowell burst over for a try on 50 minutes.

New signing Josh Matavesi was next over but the Titans did not throw in the towel and, with Ryan Burrows in the sin bin for the Falcons, they found a second try through Ifereimi Boladau.

Cowell sped in for his second try to end a quiet period for the Falcons before barnstorming flanker Simon Uzokwe added a final score for the impressive Falcons.