Summary

  • Use audio icon at top of the page to listen to commentary

  • Pro14 rugby returns to Wales for the first time in 169 days

  • Ed Kennedy and Steff Evans score first-half Scarlets tries

  • Josh Adams responds with try for the Blues before half-time

  • Evans, Sam Lousi and Johnny McNicholl score second-half tries for Scarlets

  • Matthew Morgan scores second Cardiff Blues try after 65 minutes

  1. Thank you and see you tomorrowpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

    FT: Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    That's it for today's coverage.

    Welsh rugby is back, and the Scarlets are back with a bang.

    Their bonus-point win over Cardiff Blues means they've still got a slim chance of making the Pro14 play-offs.

    The second of this weekend's Welsh derbies takes place at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow as Ospreys face Dragons.

    Make sure you join us for live updates of that match and, until then, stay safe and take care.

    Steff Evans celebratesImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  2. 'Our fans would have been proud'published at 16:59 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

    FT: Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    Steff HughesImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

    Scarlets captain Steff Hughes speaking to Premier Sports about playing without fans: "It's a bit different.

    "Our crowd here is always fantastic. Wherever they were watching, I'm sure they were proud."

  3. Full-time - Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Bluespublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 22 August 2020

    Cardiff Blues try to end a testing afternoon on a high but their spell of possession comes to nothing.

    Scarlets pinch the ball and referee Nigel Owens blows the final whistle.

    A convincing win and a bonus point for the Scarlets.

    Steff EvansImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  4. Postpublished at 80 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    Cardiff Blues win a penalty near their own try line and Jarrod Evans kicks into touch.

    This will be the final play of the match, with the Blues still inside their own 22.

  5. Sin-binpublished at 78 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    After a few warnings from referee Nigel Owens, hooker Kirby Myhill becomes the second Cardiff Blues player to be shown a yellow card.

    The visitors will have to see out what's left of this game with 14 men.

  6. Postpublished at 76 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    It's all getting a bit scrappy now.

    Scarlets, so impressive for 70 minutes, have lost a little impetus as they see out the closing stages.

    They won't mind too much, though. This has been a comprehensive and comfortable victory.

    Hallam Amos loses the ballImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  7. Postpublished at 74 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    Cardiff Blues gamely go through the phases as they cling on to the faintest hope of salvaging something from this game.

    Their shaggy-haired scrum-half Lloyd Williams tries to increase the tempo but the move breaks down as Matthew Morgan drops the ball.

    This match is just starting to fizzle out now.

  8. Postpublished at 71 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    Referee Nigel Owens gives both captains - now Ken Owens for Scarlets and Cory Hill for Cardiff Blues - a gentle reminder of how their players should be behaving themselves as we enter the final 10 minutes.

    By the standards of most full-blooded Welsh derbies, this match has seemed positively cordial, has it not?

  9. Disallowed trypublished at 68 mins

    Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

    So you're saying there's a chance?

    Ah, no.

    Matthew Morgan's try is disallowed for a clear forward pass from Morgan to Josh Adams in the build-up.

    Referee Nigel Owens awarded the try in the first place but the TMO Wayne Davies is right to say the pass was forward. It was an obvious forward pass.

    Cardiff Blues are at least showing some fight, though. There's life in this contest yet.

  10. try

    Try - Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Bluespublished at 65 mins

    Matthew Morgan

    That's more like it from Cardiff Blues.

    A deft pass from Jarrod Evans gives Josh Adams the room to break into the Scarlets 22.

    Adams passes to Ben Thomas, who moves the ball on to replacement Matthew Morgan, and he speeds over for a well-worked try.

    Too little too late for the Blues?

    Evans misses his conversion and they have 15 minutes to mount the most improbable of comebacks.

  11. Postpublished at 64 mins

    Scarlets 32-7 Cardiff Blues

    Cardiff Blues are unravelling here, a knock-on handing Scarlets possession once again near the halfway line.

    The Blues manage to win a penalty from the next ruck, with Olly Robinson clamping down on the ball, but it's a long way back for John Mulvihill's side from here.

  12. Replacementpublished at 59 mins

    Scarlets 32-7 Cardiff Blues

    A welcome sight for Scarlets and Wales fans as flanker James Davies comes on for his first Pro14 appearance in more than 500 days.

    With a little over 20 minutes to play and with his side 25 points up, the man they call 'Cubby Boi' could hardly wish for a kinder re-introduction to league rugby.

  13. try

    Try - Scarlets 32-7 Cardiff Bluespublished at 56 mins

    Johnny McNicholl

    What a counter-attack!

    It all starts with a chance for Cardiff Blues.

    Scarlets replacement Angus O'Brien concedes a penalty near his own try line as he fails to gather a kick, and the Blues go for touch.

    Their maul loses momentum, however, and the Scarlets are able to counter.

    O'Brien makes amends for his previous error as he twice plays a part in the move, and his second contribution is the final pass for Johnny McNicholl who has an easy run-in in the corner.

    From one end of the pitch to the other, that's a superb score.

    Leigh Halfpenny misses his conversion from the touchline but this is becoming a rout for the Scarlets.

  14. Postpublished at 54 mins

    Scarlets 27-7 Cardiff Blues

    Josh Macleod really is a menace at the breakdown.

    The Scarlets openside flanker earns yet another penalty as he gets over the ball in the tackle area and, just as Cardiff Blues think they're getting a foothold in the match, the Scarlets are back in possession.

  15. Postpublished at 52 mins

    Scarlets 27-7 Cardiff Blues

    As if a 20-point deficit and being temporarily reduced to 14 men wasn't bad enough for Cardiff Blues, they're now also having to contend with the heavy artillery Scarlets have introduced from their bench.

    Among the replacements the hosts have brought on are Wales hooker Ken Owens and his internaitonal colleague, the bearded brute of a second row, Jake Ball.

  16. converted try

    Converted try - Scarlets 27-7 Cardiff Bluespublished at 49 mins

    Sam Lousi

    That's the bonus point in the bag for the Scarlets already.

    They take a penalty quickly close to the Cardiff Blues' try line and lock Sam Lousi gallops over before reaching his long arm out to touch down for the Scarlets' fourth try.

    Leigh Halfpenny converts and Scarlets' lead is now 20 points.

    Sam LousiImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  17. Sin-binpublished at 47 mins

    Scarlets 20-7 Cardiff Blues

    Cardiff Blues captain Josh Turnbull is going off for 10 minutes and he seems to accept his punishment.

    Turnbull plunged over the ball to slow a Scarlets attack, sparked by a fine break from flanker Ed Kennedy, who's having a very prominent game in the loose.

    Referee Nigel Owens had no hesitation showing Turnbull the yellow card.

  18. Postpublished at 46 mins

    Scarlets 20-7 Cardiff Blues

    Cardiff Blues set about getting themselves back into this match but their attacks are lacking cohesion.

    After a scrappy passage of play, Hallam Amos kicks ahead and Dan Jones is on hand to touch down and claim a 22 drop-out for the Scarlets.

  19. try

    Try - Scarlets 20-7 Cardiff Bluespublished at 44 mins

    Steff Evans

    This is close!

    The television match official, Wayne Davies, reviews a possible try for Scarlets.

    Amazingly, wing Steff Evans seems to touch the ball down at exactly the same moment as Cardiff Blues wing Josh Adams.

    The question from referee Nigel Owens was whether or not there was any reason not to award the try so, with the inconclusive evidence, Davies awards the try.

    That's as close as it gets.

    Leigh Halfpenny's conversion misses after hitting the post but the Scarlets are in charge now.

    Evans and Adams compete for ballImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
  20. Replacementpublished at 42 mins.

    Scarlets 15-7 Cardiff Blues

    Brilliant from Tomos Williams, who breaks through the Scarlets midfield and finds a Cardiff Blues team-mate with a no-look offload.

    However, the Blues' attack does not last long, ending with a penalty for the Scarlets.

    Then there's a worrying sight for the Blues and Wales - whose head coach Wayne Pivac is watching at Parc y Scarlets - as Williams is then taken off with what looks like a shoulder injury.

    His arm is slung in his shirt as he's replaced by Lloyd Williams.

    After Gareth Davies left the pitch for Scarlets earlier, that could be Wales' two first-choice scrum-halves injured.