Accuracy of Halfpenny proves the difference
SCARLETS avenged their two convincing defeats to Leinster, which ended last season’s campaigns in both Europe and the PRO14.
Neither side were at their best but Scarlets were deserved winners to maintain their impressive record over the European Champions at Parc-y-Scarlets with Leinster not winning there for the past five seasons.
In addition Scarlets maintained their impressive record of now 22 consecutive home league wins since Munster were successful in 2016.
Scarlets, head coach, Wayne Pivac said: “The boys wanted it desperately as we wanted to close the gap on Leinster and we are definitely heading in the right direction.
Victory was built on the whole-hearted performances of Ken Owens and Hadleigh Parkes and the opportunism of Gareth Davies, who was on hand to support a couple of the centre’s crucial breaks.
The pace and flair of Jonathan Davies and Steff Evans were missed but immaculate goal-kicking from the returning Leigh Halfpenny proved the difference as Leinster out- scored them by three tries to two.
Leinster had the more gifted runners with Jordan Larmour and James Lowe constant thorns in the Scarlets’ defence but two missed kicks from Ross Byrne ultimately cost them victory.
Their much vaunted pack was out muscled by a fired up home eight and it would have been an injustice if they had sneaked a victory, as they did last week at Cardiff with a last minute try.
Scarlets began in tremendous style by producing a superb three-quarter movement, which began ten metres from their own line and finished just ten metres short of the opposition’s, before they were awarded three penalties in quick succession.
Josh Murphy was yellow carded for the third transgression before Byrne pulled off a brilliant trysaving tackle to deprive Gareth Davies of a certain score after the No.9 had supported a break from Parkes.
However Scarlets weren’t to be denied for long as Owens forced his way over from close range but simultaneously they lost Johnny McNicholl with an injury.
Byrne missed a penalty before Leinster created their first attack with clever interplay between Lowe and Larmour putting Rory O’Loughlin in the clear, but the scoring pass was adjudged to be forward.
Murphy returned from the sin-bin to see his side draw level when Jamison Gibson-Park and Sean Cronin made substantial contributions to send Fergus McFadden over.
Scarlets regained the lead with a Halfpenny penalty after Rhys Ruddock had infringed with a high tackle
on Blade Thomson but with the last move of the half, Leinster went ahead for the first time.
With his team under continuous pressure, Samson Lee was sin-binned and from a scrum, Byrne sent Lowe over. The fly-half then converted from the touchline for a 14-10 interval lead.
Scarlets, so dominant in the first quarter, looked to have missed their chance as Leinster had become increasingly stronger with injuries to Josh Macleod and Rob Evans not helping the home side’s cause.
Lee returned with no further damage done to the scoreboard and he and his fellow front rowers won Scarlets a scrum penalty, which Halfpenny knocked over to reduce the deficit to a single point.
Byrne missed a straightforward penalty and Halfpenny succeeded with his second to set up a tense finish. It proved to be Scarlets’ night when Parkes slipped a tackle to send Gareth Davies over with a late converted try from Ruddock just enough to secure Leinster a losing bonus point.