Scarlets punish Leicester Tigers in Champions Cup

Leicester Tigers were brought back down to earth in the European Rugby Champions Cup when they were beaten 15-3 by Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday evening.

Leicester beat Ulster 25-18 last weekend at home in Welford Road and this result puts leaves Toulon in control of Pool Two after their win over Ulster earlier in the day.

Leicester Tigers performance was filled with errors and Scarlets made the most of it as winger Harry
Robinson picked up a try after Miles Benjamin spilled a ball in his 22.

Robinson scored the opening try and a first half penalty from both sides had
the Scarlets leading 8-3 at half time.

Scarlets number 9 Aled Davies scored the only try of the second half when he
intercepted a pass from Ben Youngs.

Despite losing several players through injury, the Welsh region scores tries
in each half through Harry Robinson and Aled Davies to give themselves a great
chance of progressing from pool three.

The defeat is a massive blow to the Tigers hopes of reaching the quarter-finals
with a daunting double-header against Toulon to come in rounds three and four.

Tigers should have been in front early on when fit-again centre Anthony Allen
fumbled the ball over the line after 10 minutes with the try-line at his mercy.

Former Scarlets fly-half Owen Williams finally broke the deadlock for the
visitors with a penalty but it proved to be their only points of the evening.

The Scarlets were gifted the game’s opening try after 17 minutes when Tigers
wing Miles Benjamin dropped the ball inside his own 22 and opposite number Robinson
went over in the corner.

Rhys Priestland missed the conversion and two penalties before Steve Shingler
took over the kicking duties and slotted three points with the boot.

But Shingler and Tigers’ Williams both missed chances before the break to
leave Scarlets leading but just five points at the interval.

When the Scarlets did eventually get their second try it once again came gift-wrapped
from the Tigers. Ben Youngs tried to go outside opposite number Davies and when
the England international attempted to flick the ball out of the tackle, Davies
stole possession and sprinted clear to score.

Shingler added the conversion to seal an historic win for the Scarlets and
give them more than a fighting chance of becoming the first Welsh region to
reach the quarter-finals since 2011.

Final Score Scarlets 15 (8) Leicester Tigers 3 (3)

Scorers

Scarlets
Tries – Robinson
Pen – Shingler, Davies
Con – Shingler
Drop –
Cards –

Leicester Tigers
Tries –
Pen – Williams
Con –
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland),
Assistant ref: Gary Conway (Ireland),
Assistant ref: Eddie Hogan-O’Connell (Ireland),
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland),
Citing Commissioner: Iain Goodall (Scotland)

Teams

Scarlets: Liam Williams; Harry Robinson, Michael Tagicakibau, Scott Williams (c), Kristian Phillips; Rhys Priestland, Aled Davies; Rob Evans, Emyr Phillips, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Johan Snyman, Aaron Shingler, John Barclay, Rory Pitman

Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Phil John, Rhodri Jones, Lewis Rawlins, James Davies, Rhodri Williams, Steven Shingler, Jordan Williams

Leicester Tigers: Matthew Tait; Blaine Scull