Scarlets defeat Lions 32-19, dashing slender play-off aspirations

The Lions' slim play-off hopes were dealt a fatal blow with a hard-fought 32-19 loss against Scarlets in their United Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Joburg side was hit by the late withdrawal of star centre Henco van Wyk, who was replaced by Rynhardt Jonker. Youngster Kelly Mpeku took Jonker's place on the bench.

The home side started tentatively, with neither side able to land any telling early blows.

Scarlets lock Sam Lousi was shown yellow for head-to-head contact in the tackle. 

Jonker was able to make a strong break off a ball to the tail of the line-out, but a failure to get numbers to the breakdown proved costly for the home side. 

Errors were starting to creep into Lions play and they were pinged for an infringement at the breakdown.

The Welsh side kicked the penalty into touch and worked the ball over to the left for Blair Murray to throw a dummy to the Lions defence before scoring.

Sam Costelow kicked the conversion (7-0).

The try seemed to have woken the Lions from their slumber as they moved the ball through the hands. But the Scarlets' rush defence continually forced them back behind the gain line. 

Hooker and skipper Jaco Visagie then attempted an audacious chip and chase inside the Scarlets 22 but the away side broke and chased a kick of their own from No 8 Taine Plumtree. Fullback Quan Horn had to scramble to clear for the Lions.

The fullback was instrumental in a  Lions break down the right wing, as was prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, and the result was a penalty to the home side.

They kicked for touch and were camped on the Scarlets tryline but the visitors were able to cope with the crash ball until JC Pretorious was held up over the line to concede possession.

Lions winger Richard Kriel's break down the right was once again undone by failure to protect the ball at the breakdown.

It would be an issue for the home side throughout the first half.

The Scarlets made the most of a few slipped tackles in the Lions midfield, with Man of the Match Murray bagging his second. Costelow kicked the extra two points.

The home side won a scrum 5m out after 30 minutes and a few phases later, scrumhalf Nico Steyn wormed his way through a half-gap and placed the ball on the line for the score. Wolhuter's conversion was good (14-7).

Scarlets player Dan Davis was also shown yellow with more than five minutes to go in the half. But they would have the final say of the first stanza, via a ling-range drop goal by Costelow that deflected in off the upright.

The half-time score was 17-7 to the Welsh visitors.

The home side were caught napping by a  quick tap penalty early in the second half that freed  Plumtree to crash over for the five points (22-7).

The Lions started to give the ball air as they chased the game, with good work from Horn and Jonker. 

The Lions had a scrum feed and great work by Visagie freed up Richard Kriel to go over on the right wing. Replacement back Lubablo Dobela kicked the conversion.

But the Scarlets came right back at the Lions and JC Pretorious was shown yellow after a collapsed Scarlets mall on the Lions tryline. The Lions kept the visitors at bay, and looked full of running.

They worked the ball up after a maul on the left, before a well-timed pass by Dobela set Kriel up for his second in the far right corner. Dobela missed with the conversion attempt, however.

A Horn intercept prevented a certain try for the visitors. Another line break by the Scarlets on the right wing allowed Johnny Williams in for the bonus-point try. Costelow banged over the conversion (29-19).

A Costelow penalty would be the last score of the match.

The Lions will be licking their wounds as they gear up to face the Ospreys at home next weekend, in their last match of the season.

Points scorers

Lions 19

Tries: Steyn, Kriel (2) ; Conversions: Wolhuter, Dobela

Scarlets 32

Tries: Murray (2), Plumtree, Williams; Conversions: Costelow (3); Penalties: Costelow; Drop goal: Costelow 

Lions Team: 15 Quan Horn 14 Richard Kriel 13 Rynhardt Jonker 12 Bronson Mills 11 Edwill van der Merwe 10 Kade Wolhuter 9 Nico Steyn 8 Jarod Cairns 7 Renzo du Plessis 6 JC Pretorius 5 Ruan Delport 4 Ruan Venter 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye 2 Jaco Visagie (captain) 1 Morgan Naude.

Bench: 16 PJ Botha 17 SJ Kotze 18 RF Schoeman 19 Darrien Landsberg 20 Sibabalo Qoma 21 Layton Horn 22  Lubabalo Dobela 23 Kelly Mpeku