Scarlets continued their impressive form in the United Rugby Championship with a 30-08 bonus-point win against Zebre. Scarlets rise up to fifth in the table as the URC heads into the international break.
It was a third successive win for Dwayne Peel’s side, a feat they had not achieved since February 2023, while Zebre’s wait for an away league goes back another two years.
Tom Rogers and Ben Cambriani had exchanged tries in an untidy, but entertaining first half. The teams were level at 08-08 at the halftime break.
Scarlets took control after the break, with Macs Page, Blair Murray and Josh Macleod all crossing Zebre's tryline.
Scarlets returned transformed and the first of three second-half tries came from a brilliant combination from the two centres off line-out ball.
James found Page, who ran a great angle and rightfully backed himself to beat the last man and score.
Scarlets seemed to have found their rhythm and were in soon again, this time Plumtree broke the line and passed out for Murray to score in the corner.
The forwards got in on the act just before the hour as Zebre’s penalty count started to creep up under pressure.
Sam Lousi took the front line-out ball and Macleod wriggled free of the driving maul to bag his side’s bonus point and secure the 30-08 win.
Scorers:
Scarlets: Tries: Tom Rogers, Macs Page, Blair Murray, Josh Macleod. Conversions: Ioan Lloyd (2). Penalties: Ioan Lloyd (2).
Zebre Parma: Try: Ben Cambriani. Drop Goal: Geronimo Prisciantelli.
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Macs Page, 12 Eddie James, 11 Blair Murray, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (c), 6 Max Douglas, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Jac Price, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Alec Hepburn. Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe. 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Efan Jones, 22 Ioan Nicholas, 23 Johnny Williams.
Zebre Parma: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Ben Cambriani, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Giovanni Licata, 7 Luca Andreani, 6 Davide Ruggeri, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Juan Pitinari, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti (c). Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Muhamed Hasa, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Leonard Krumov, 20 Giacomo Ferrari, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Enrico Lucchin, 23 Giacomo Da Re.