MAGNERS LEAGUE Scarlets 45 Connacht 3: SCARLETS MARKED the occasion of their first Magners League match of the season at home, and their last at Stradey Park, with an emphatic victory on Saturday evening.
The Scarlets notched up seven tries as they signed off at the Llanelli ground in style, while Connacht could only muster three points - and that was scored in the first minute of a high-tempo game.
The Scarlets responded to the occasion that attracted some 6,000 spectators, and gifted space, they ran riot.
Defence and physicality were two areas coach Nigel Davies and his coaching team have addressed - the first prevented Connacht from scoring a single try, while the second was epitomised by prop Deacon Manu who had the force to barge over for two tries that set the Scarlets on their way.
Add in Australian number eight David Lyons, Ireland's Simon Easterby and replacement prop, the former All Black Kees Meeuws, and the Scarlets won the battle at the breakdown.
And vital to the Scarlets' title aspirations this year is the pace and power of Dafydd James, Morgan Stoddart, and replacement Jon Davies, who were able to carve open the Connacht defence on too many occasions.
Of Connacht's performance, coach Michael Bradley said it was simple: "If you don't make your tackles, you do not win the game, particularly against a quality side like Llanelli.We fell off a lot of tackles, and we have to improve our kicking game."
A strong first half from the Scarlets set them up with a 12-3 lead, but it should have been more. The home outfit squandered several chances as they ruled the possession and territorial stakes.
Connacht enjoyed a bright opening when outhalf Ian Keatley struck a penalty immediately after the kick-off, and three successive turnovers provided Connacht with a platform to attack. However they once again struggled to make an impact, despite the best efforts of Gavin Duffy, Keith Matthews, and Troy Nathan who all looked capable of breaking the gain line.
A series of unforced errors prevented the Scarlets crossing the whitewash until the 18th minute when James broke through Duffy's tackle before offloading, and Manu barged over for the opening try.
He claimed the second three minutes later when the Scarlets capitalised on a penalty to touch to give them a 12-3 lead.
The Scarlets put paid to any chance of a Connacht resurgence when a missed tackle let replacement centre Jon Davies in for a third try, and despite a bone-crunching tackle on Easterby, luck played into the Scarlets' hands when Stoddart was able to secure possession and set up the fourth try.
Any one of three players could have scored, but it was Nathan Brew who had the honour.
Thereafter it was a saunter for the home side. Stoddart, with two, and Mark Jones, finished the scoring spree.
SCARLETS: M Stoddart, M Jones, R Higgitt, N Brew, D James, S Jones, M Roberts, P John, M Rees, D Manu, L Reed, V Cooper, S Easterby, G Thomas, D Lyons. Replacements: J Davies for N Brew (h-t), K Meeuws for John, K Owens for Rees (both 53 mins), D Jones for Easterby (56 mins), D Day for Reed, C Thomas for S Jones (both 65 mins), S Martens for Roberts (67 mins).
CONNACHT: T Nathan; F Carr, G Duffy, K Matthews, A Wynne; I Keatley, K Campbell; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Loughney; M Swift, A Farley; M McCarthy, R Ofisa, J Muldoon (capt). Replacements: A Brown for Swift (17 mins); L Bibo for Keatley (38 mins); C Rigney for Farley, F Murphy for Campbell ( both 51 mins); M Deane for Duffy (56 mins); S Cronin for Flavin (67 mins); B McGovern for Loughney (81 mins). Yellow card: K Matthews (32 mins)
Referee: S McDowell.
