SUPERB STEFF PUTS A SPELL ON BLUES WITH MAGICAL SHOW
WALES hopeful Steff Evans provided two moments of magic in front of a watching Warren Gatland to ensure the Scarlets returned to the top of Conference B of the Guinness PRO14 with a bonuspoint victory over Cardiff Blues.
Last season’s champions had been relegated to second place for about an hour by Leinster’s 25-10 demolition of Ulster in front of a sell-out 18,000 crowd in Belfast – with 9,003 at Parc y Scarlets.
Tries from centre Hadleigh Parkes and hooker Ryan Elias, backed up by a conversion and two penalties from full-back Leigh Halfpenny, had given the Scarlets a 15-point buffer with 27 minutes remaining.
But they temporarily lost command as centre Willis Halaholo prompted a fightback from the Blues’ after being on the end of a brilliant pass by Steven Shingler.
Outside-half Shingler converted that and fellow substitute Lloyd Williams’ darting effort moved them to within a point of drawing level, Jarrod Evans having put over an earlier penalty.
Scarlets supporters were agitated, but Evans broke away before putting in a deft grubber-kick for scrum-half replacement Jonathan Evans to win the race to the ball for a touchdown.
Rhys Patchell fired the conversion
attempt wide, but Steff Evans went over for the decisive score as they went back to the head of affairs in their Conference, two points ahead of Leinster.
Blues disappointed for most of the match and slumped to bottom in Conference A, Connacht and Ospreys overtaking them courtesy of wins over the weekend.
Halfpenny and Jarrod Evans exchanged early penalties before the Scarlets regained a lead they weren’t to lose.
Flanker Aaron Shingler made the initial thrust before Steff Evans used his dancing feet to make more metres as Wales coach Gatland looked on.
Lock Jake Ball charged hard and Wales call-up Parkes made an arcing run to score an unconverted try and make it 8-3 after being given too much space by Halaholo.
Halfpenny extended the advantage to eight points with a penalty after Jarrod Evans had killed the ball on the floor in his 22 as he attempted to aid substitute Rhun Williams, who had been collared by Johnny McNicholl following a chip.
Blues No.8 Nick Williams was sinbinned for a silly charge into Tadhg Beirne at a ruck and the Scarlets piled on the pressure with Halfpenny showing he can beat defenders by producing a dazzling sidestep.
However, they failed to add to their total while bruiser Williams was a spectator. The whitewash was crossed soon after the Kiwi returned to the fray but axed Wales centre Scott Williams’ touchdown was chalked off because Steff Evans had knocked on in the greasy conditions attempting to gather the ball after chasing a kick in behind the defence.
They were awarded a penalty though, Patchell tapping it into the corner. The line-out was won and Elias was driven over for Halfpenny to expertly convert from a difficult angle for an 18-3 advantage.
Blues had hardly been in it and were in desperate need of a lift from somewhere. It nearly came but Halaholo lost control of the ball as he attempted to force his way through a pile of bodies for a score.
That brought the curtain down on a first half that had started promisingly, but fell away following a number of delays for players to be treated for injuries and the use of television match official Neil Hennessy by Berry.
The second only burst into life when Halaholo scored but, in the final analysis, Scarlets showed the gulf between the two ends of the PRO14.