Scarlets edge past Leinster
The Scarlets opened their Magners League campaign with a 18-16 victory over Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.
Last Updated: 05/09/09 9:57pm
The Scarlets opened their Magners League campaign with a 18-16 victory over Heineken Cup champions Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.
Tries from Sean Lamont and Phil John kept the Scarlets in a match they looked for long stages destined to lose before Rhys Priestland gave his side the lead with a 71st minute penalty.
And Leinster, who were without six British and Irish Lions including Brian O'Driscoll, must have wondered how they lost a game they dominated in both possession and territory.
New signing Lamont grabbed the first try of the Scarlets' new season after just six minutes, the Scotland wing cruising past four would-be tacklers to go over for the score, converted by Priestland.
Only try
Jonathan Sexton cut the deficit with a penalty goal on 13 minutes and the visitors scored their only try of the match through Girvan Dempsey shortly after. Two more Sexton penalties put Leinster 16-7 ahead.
Four minutes later the Scarlets were down to 13 men after suffering a second yellow card when Rhys Thomas was sent to the cooler for dangerous play at a ruck.
In injury time referee Neil Paterson's cards were out again this time to send Leinster prop Stan Wright to the bin for a reckless challenge on David Lyons.
Priestland slotted over a penalty to cut Leinster's interval lead to 16-10 and the decisive score came on 66 minutes when Mark Jones put replacement prop John over.
Though Priestland missed the conversion he put over a penalty goal five minutes later which put the Scarlets into a two point lead, which they preserved.
