A superb second-half display saw Stade Francais overpower Scarlets to record a 37-15 bonus-point win on Saturday.
Parisse leads French outfit to convincing victory
A superb second-half display saw Stade Francais overpower Scarlets to record a 37-15 bonus-point win in their Heineken Cup clash on Saturday.
A three-try blitz in eight minutes at the start of the second period saw Stade extinguish their opponents' brave bid for a win in France.
Scarlets had started well and hit the front courtesy of a magnificent counter-attacking score from winger Mark Jones.
However, the hosts turned the screw after the interval and two tries from man-of-the-match Sergio Parisse and another from wing Julien Saubade put the French outfit in complete control.
A fine afternoon's work for Stade was completed in the final minute by Lionel Beauxis, who romped over for an opportunist try to secure the bonus point.
It was Stade who were on the board first at Stade Jean Bouin with Beauxis slotting the first of three penalties after Stephen Jones was penalised for holding on to the ball on the floor.
Jones levelled things up on the quarter hour mark as Stephane Glas was caught lying on and the Welshmen hit the front in stunning style five minutes later.
There appeared little on when Morgan Stoddart collected an ambitious long-range drop-goal attempt from Beauxis next to his own posts, but the full-back launched a counter which saw him burst through Stade's defensive line out wide on the left before feeding Mark Jones who got the better of Beauxis to touch down in the corner.
Stephen Jones could not add the conversion from the touchline and Beauxis ensured Stade claimed a barely-deserved lead heading into the break with two penalties to make the scoreline 9-8.
Mercurial
However, the French outfit were a different prospect after the interval and, with the mercurial Juan Martin Hernandez pulling the strings at fly-half, produced a display as vibrant as their Andy Warhol-inspired shirts.
It was Saubade who opened the floodgates on 44 minutes as he scrambled to his feet to finish off a flowing three-quarters move out wide at the second attempt.
Five minutes later Parisse extended the lead as he joined the line to crash over following another period of sustained pressure.
The Italian skipper then helped himself to a second as he was on hand to dive over after Julien Arias had been hauled down just short of the Scarlets line - Beauxis adding all three conversions to hand the hosts a commanding 30-8 lead.
Scarlets did show commendable fight to prevent any further scores from their rampant opponents and snatched a consolation when substitute Ceiron Thomas rounded off a fine move to touch down unopposed under the posts.
But it was Stade and Beauxis who had the last word, the full back charging down an attempted chip forward from Thomas before collecting and racing 60 metres to secure his side the bonus point.
