| Cheetahs (7) 26 |
| Tries: Hartzenberg, Fortuin, Kasende, Olivier Cons: Pienaar 3 |
| Scarlets (38) 45 |
| Tries: Evans 2, Conbeer, McNicholl, Lousi, Owens Cons: Costelow 6 Pen: Costelow |
Scarlets made it two wins from two on this season’s European Problem Cup with a cushty bonus-point victory over Cheetahs in Italy.
Dwayne Peel’s facet scored six tries in a dominant show to ascertain themselves on the prime of Pool B following the opening two rounds.
Scarlets have been 38-7 forward on the break and held off the South African facet’s comeback after the break.
Steff Evans crossed twice and Sam Costelow kicked all six conversions.
Cheetahs bought the opening rating by Munier Hartzenberg, earlier than Steff Evans claimed a brace of tries. Ryan Conbeer, Jonny McNicholl and Sam Lousi additionally crossed for the Welsh facet in a scientific opening 40 minutes.
Reinhardt Fortuin, Daniel Kasende and Friedle Olivier hit again for Cheetahs, earlier than Ken Owens crossed for Scarlets to seal the success.
Peel’s celebration made the journey to northern Italy with the Cheetahs basing themselves in Parma, which is nearly 8,000 miles away from their residence floor in Bloemfontein.
The idea was certainly “very alien,” as Peel had said in the build-up and his facet have been caught napping early on with Hartzenberg bursting by unopposed for the sport’s opening strive after simply two minutes.
Scarlets, with Ryan Elias playing his 150th game for them, responded with a penalty from fly-half Costelow earlier than a well-worked rating for Evans who dotted down out huge on the precise wing.
Evans then crossed for his second in the identical nook, earlier than fellow wing Conbeer burst onto a beautifully-weighted go from playmaker Costelow.
The bonus level was then secured inside half an hour with Vaea Fifita racing clear earlier than offloading for full-back McNicholl to attain.
Scarlets have been rewarded with a fifth strive on the stroke of half-time with lock Lousi racing in from midway.
With the result wrapped up, the Welsh facet lacked the identical urgency within the second half and have been pressured right into a defensive rearguard with Fifita within the bin for persistent infringement.
They defended resolutely and virtually weathered the storm, however Cheetahs lastly turned stress into factors with Fortuin powering over from brief vary.
That gave the South African facet some momentum and so they gave Scarlets lots to consider with wing Kasende scoring a wonderful strive from distance earlier than Olivier claimed the strive bonus level.
Scarlets had the ultimate phrase with their driving line-out leading to an Owens strive within the closing minute, ably transformed by Costelow who ended with 15 factors.
Scarlets have discovered solace in Europe during the last fortnight and claimed most factors from the primary two rounds of the Problem Cup.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel:
“I am proud of the win and at half-time I assumed we had performed some glorious stuff on each side of the ball through the first half.
“The second half was a blended bag with a number of good issues, but additionally some primary errors. Nevertheless it’s pleasing clearly to have gotten the win and we could not have requested for any extra with 10 factors secured after two video games.
“Now we have a large recreation in opposition to the Ospreys on Boxing Day and this has given us some confidence as we put together for that one.”
Cheetahs: Mafura; Kasende, Brits, Fortuin, Hartzenberg; Masuku, Pienaar; Ferreira, Van Rensburg, Coetzee, Bernardo, Sekekete (capt), Maartens, Olivier, Rudolph.
Replacements: Van der Westhuizen, Majola, Van Wyk, Zito, Qoma, Kruger, Ebersohn, Jasper.
Scarlets: McNicholl; S Evans, I Nicholas, S Williams, Conbeer; Costelow, Blacker; Mathias, Elias, John, Lousi, Fifita, Shingler, Macleod (capt), Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Owens, S Thomas, Sebastian, T Worth, Lezana, Hardy, Patchell, Halfpenny.
Referee: Chris Busby (Eire)
Assistant referees: Dan Carson & Padraic Reidy (Eire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Eire)