Dragons 10 Scarlets 29

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons slumped to their second heavy defeat in the space of eight days after they were put to the sword by the Scarlets at the Millennium Stadium in front of a Guinness PRO12 record-breaking crowd of 52,762 fans.

After their bitterly disappointing 45-16 setback to Edinburgh in the semi-final of the Rugby Challenge Cup at Murrayfield last week, there was little to smile about in the capital city in the end although they were competitive in the first half.

The Scarlets recorded a bonus point triumph that boosts their Rugby Champions Cup ambitions after they moved up to sixth in the PRO12 table above Connacht.

They were out of the blocks faster than the Dragons and they took the a deserved 3-0 lead when outside half Rhys Priestland slotted over a sixth minute penalty after the Gwent region's scrum buckled in front of their posts.

The Dragons did put pressure on the West Walians when a neat cross kick by their No 10 Dorian Jones ended up with replacement centre Carl Meyer, on temporarily for Tyler Morgan, being bundled into touch close to their opponents' 22.

Excellent phase play by the Dragons saw them build up a head of steam and centre Jack Dixon lovely offload saw Morgan romp home in the 17th minute for a
fine try well converted by Dorian Jones. for a 7-3 lead.

A scrum penalty for Kingsley Jones' men on the 40-metre line gave his son Dorian a crack at goal and he delivered with a well struck shot to put them further
ahead on the 24th minute mark.

The Scarlets put them under enormous pressure from the restart but the Dragons turned the ball over and a frantic few minutes saw first wing Tom Prydie set off
on an impressive run before lock and captain Rynard Landman look as if he might score a spectacular try before he knocked the ball on.

All this went on while a separate scrap went on between several players.
The Scarlets again went on the offensive and were inches from crossing their opponents' try-line only for referee George Clancy to penalise them for holding on in the contact area.

Turning down a shot at goal, the Gwent side opted for a driving lineout deep in the Scarlets 22, but Morgan coughed the ball as they looked to spread the ball after it was released by the forwards.

Counter-attacking, a punt downfield was just gathered by Prydie but the Parc y Scarlets outfit again put their opponents under the cosh but were unable to convert pressure and territory into points.

The breakthrough did come for them just before half-time when their skipper and hooker Ken Owens galloped home for a try under the posts after some comedy defending by the home side, Priestland converting to draw the sides level at 10-10.

Worse was to follow for the Dragons however when the Scarlets struck again from the restart when they scored a glorious try.

Wales full back Liam Williams gathered his delicate chip before sending away fellow international colleague and namesake Scott Williams with a wonderful offload.

Priestland added a simple conversion with the last movement of the half, the Dragons going in at half-time 17-10 down when they could have been 10-3 ahead.

Starting the second half as they ended the first, it took the West Wales outfit just two minutes to extend their advantage.

Liam Williams waltzed home after avoiding Dixon's despairing tackle, Priestland adding the extras to put his side 14 points in the lead.

The Dragons had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 52nd minute but Dorian Jones was off target with his penalty attempt.

With Wayne Pivac's men dominating proceedings it wasn't long before they secured their bonus point try which came courtesy of wing Harry Robinson who crossed for an unconverted try with more than a quarter of the match still to go.

Rarely did they threaten but the Dragons might have made a game of it had Prydie's cross kick nealry found replacement scrum half Luc Jones.

It may have been a day to forget for many of the Gwent side's players and supporters but it will be one to forever cherish of Cross Keys and Wales Under-20s

prop Luke Garrett who made his professional debut as a replacement for tighthead Phil Price with a quarter of an hour to go.

Morgan was the Dragons' danger man late on as he nearly scored from a chip ahead but the game petered out in the closing stages.

It summed the day up for the Dragons when Dorian Jones knocked the ball on as he looked certain to score a last-minute consolation try after it was dislodged by Scarlets openside James Davies.

Dragons: Geraint Rhys Jones (Carl Meyer 52), Tom Prydie (Ashton Hewitt 72), Tyler Morgan (Carl Meyer 5-14), Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos, Dorian Jones,

Jonathan Evans (Luc Jones 61); Phil Price (Luke Garrett 65), Rhys Buckley (T Rhys Thomas 46), Brok Harris (Lloyd Fairbrother 68), Matthew Screech (Nick

Crosswell 61), Rynard Landman (capt), James Thomas, James Benjamin (Ollie Griffiths 61), Taulupe Faletau.

Scorers: Tries: Morgan, Conversions: Dorian Jones , Penalties: Dorian Jones

Scarlets: Liam Williams, Harry Robinson (Regan King 61), Hadleigh Parkes, Scott Williams, Steff Evans, Rhys Priestland (Steven Shingler 75), Aled Davies

(Rhodri Williams 61), Phil John (Will John 75), Ken Owens (capt), Peter Edwards, Jake Ball, Lewis Rawlins, Aaron Shingler (Rory Pitman 64), James Davies,

John Barclay (Rob McCusker 75).

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Jacobie Adriaanse.
Scorers: Tries: Owens, Scott Williams , Liam Williams, Robinson, Conversions: Priestland (3), Penalties: Priestland

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)

Attendance: 52,762

Dragons star man: Tyler Morgan