Benetton 22-12 Scarlets: Monty Ioane's hat-trick inspires Benetton
Last Updated: 11/02/18 7:57pm
Monty Ioane scored a hat-trick as Benetton stunned Guinness PRO14 champions Scarlets with a 22-12 victory in Treviso.
The result means that Benetton Rugby have won their last four matches in the Guinness PRO14 which equals their best ever run in the Championship.
Ioane had crossed twice when Scarlets won the Champions Cup clash between the two teams in December, but this time the winger went one better just after the 51st minute as Benetton upset the Conference B form table.
He opened the scoring after 25 minutes when Johnny McNicholl failed to deal with Marty Banks' cross-field kick, and Banks was again the architect of Ioane's second try two minutes before the break with a clever chip.
Ioane was denied a third try when the Scarlets defence held him up, but he soon finished a fine handling move to burst over in the corner.
Corey Baldwin latched onto McNicholl's kick to put the under-strength Scarlets on the scoreboard and Dan Jones converted.
Marco Zanon claimed Benetton's bonus-point fourth try before Tadhg Beirne managed a late consolation for the Welsh region.
