Heineken Champions Cup: Scarlets lose 52-21 to Bristol to exit Europe

Wales hooker Ryan Elias scores Scarlets' opening try

Bristol Bears dumped Scarlets out of Europe in a breathless encounter at Parc y Scarlets.

The hosts finished bottom of Champions Cup Pool B as Bristol turned on the style late on having already qualified for the last 16.

Semi Radradra, Ioan Lloyd, Harry Thacker, Piers O'Conor, Ratu Naulago and Callum Sheedy all crossed on top of a penalty try.

Ryan Elias and Johnny McNicholl touched down for the home side.

Bristol are third in the pool before the final group games on Sunday that will determine who they face in the next round.

About 8,000 thousand fans enjoyed end-to-end entertainment as they took their seats in the Llanelli stadium for the first time since October.

As both sides showed early endeavour, Scarlets won a penalty at the ruck and Rhys Patchell - enjoying his first start after long injury lay-off - was on target.

It proved an early confidence builder for the Wales fly-half whose place kicking had been disappointing since his comeback.

Bristol then caught Scarlets' defence napping, in-form Wales international Lloyd made a superb break, and there was no stopping the supporting Radradra who flew in under the posts.

Lloyd was then on the scoresheet himself after taking a superb cat-flap pass from Chris Vui.

Having soaked up the pressure, Scarlets ventured into the Bristol 22 and hooker Elias powered over after some good work by his fellow forwards.

Bristol looked to hit back with a five metre driving line-out, and Scarlets' defence not only held firm but set the stage for a brilliant counter attack by the evasive scrum-half Dane Blacker, who won another penalty for Patchell to slot over.

It proved to be a double blow for the visitors with the last contribution of the evening for Lloyd, who may have caught the eye of Wales coach Wayne Pivac, in his move from wing to centre.

Scarlets came out firing after the break, McNicholl starting a series of breaks before Bristol conceded a penalty for Patchell to give Scarlets the lead for the first time.

But it was short lived as they conceded in their 22 soon after for Sheedy to kick to the corner for a driving line-out. Scarlets' defence once again stood firm before Scott Williams launched another exciting counter.

Bristol came roaring back with a quick tap penalty, with replacement hooker Thacker celebrating a close-range effort, but the TMO showed it had been held up.

They were soon back on the home tryline and came away with maximum points as referee Philippe Bonhoure showed Elias a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and awarded a penalty try.

True to the nature of the game, Scarlets brought the scores level as McNicholl and Ryan Conbeer combined beautifully to touch down in the corner.

Bristol re-took the lead from another quick tap penalty, and Thacker was not to be denied this time as he crossed under the posts for the bonus-point try.

The visitors then dealt Scarlets' tiring defence a hammer blow, with three quick tries from O'Conor, Naulago and Sheedy.

Radradra ran in the eighth and final try on the whistle as they finished with a flourish.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel told BBC Sport Wales:

"I'm disappointed. At 60 minutes we were right in it.

"The lesson for us is that we can't afford to give points away easy after we've worked hard.

"I'm sure when we reflect and look back there'll be some stuff where we thought that was better, but 31 points in the last 20 minutes is pretty tough reading for us.

"The competition in itself has been fractured for us at best… but we move on and we can concentrate on the United Rugby Championship. We've got a tough task next week in Belfast."

Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam told BBC Sport Wales:

"When we came in at half-time, I said 'what do you think?' Callum Sheedy said 'we're our own worst enemy', Joe Joyce backed that up.

"We were getting frustrated out there, I said park that and I just showed some clips. If we get things right where opportunities are and controlling the ball, once we did that, that's when we're a dangerous team.

"We talked about don't get bored of doing the things that the crowd don't see around the way we clean out breakdown, present the ball and chase, and they way we talk on defence.

"We were getting short on defence which was frustrating, but I said 'if we get these things right we'll come home strong', the boys did that which was pleasing."

Scarlets: McNicholl; L Williams, Davies (capt), S Williams, Conbeer; Patchell, Blacker; W Jones, Elias, Lee, Lousi, M Jones, Kalamafoni, S Evans, Tuipulotu.

Replacements: M Jones, Price, Sebastian, Helps, I Rees, Hardy, Costelow, Nicholas.

Bristol: Piutau; Morahan, Radradra, Lloyd, Purdy; Sheedy, Randall; Woolmore, Byrne, Sinckler, Holmes, Joyce, Vui, D Thomas, Harding.

Replacements: Thacker, Y Thomas, Afoa, Hawkins, Luatua, Uren, O'Conor, Naulago.

Match officials

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Assistant referees: Thomas Charabas & Maxime Chalon (France)

TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)