Flanagan is full of praise after Dane’s fine cameo

DAI Flanagan hailed the impact of Dane Blacker as the scrumhalf almost inspired an amazing Scarlets recovery against Cardiff Blues.

Blacker was introduced in the second half against Dai Young’s men with the West Wales region looking to be on their way to a heavy defeat in the Rainbow Cup.

But he crossed for two tries as the home side rallied, and they looked to have grabbed an incredible victory with an Angus O’Brien score before a late Jarrod Evans penalty won it for the Blues.

“Dane’s been outstanding,” said Flanagan, who is in temporary charge following Glenn Delaney’s early departure from Parc y Scarlets.

“He’s a pleasure to coach. He adds every time he is involved and I am chuffed with how he went today.

“He comes in every day to get better and competition here breeds improvement.”

The Scarlets are blessed at No. 9, with Welsh internationals Gareth Davies and Kieran Hardy to call on.

But Blacker has been a more than able deputy when called upon this season.

“We have one nine going with the Lions, one who has been with Wales and one pushing both of them,” said Flanagan of his scrum-half battalion.

“Will Homer has been excellent for us as well this season, he’s been the ultimate pro.”

The Scarlets paid for a poor opening period against the Blues, with the visitors racing into a commanding lead and crossing for their bonus-point fourth try early in the second half.

The West Walians staged a superb rally, but they fell just short as Evans’s late kick proved crucial.

“We were fortunate to be in it, if we are honest,” admitted Flanagan. “The Blues blew us off the park.

“That is where we need to find the answer, we can’t keep trying to get back into games. In the second half I thought our kick-chase was outstanding, we were on the money chasing them down.

“We pressurised the Blues and made them kick back to us.

“We have one of the best kicking teams in the league which opens up the avenues for players like Johnny McNicholl and Tom Rogers to create and Dane Blacker to be on people’s shoulders.

“That is the stuff we want to watch, but you need to earn the right to do that and we need to be better earlier.”