Scarlets remain winless as Lions celebrate URC win

Scarlets wing Ellis Mee was capped by Wales in the 2025 Six Nations

United Rugby Championship: Lions v Scarlets

Lions (5) 29

Tries: Q Horn, Marais, Brandon 2 Pens: Smith, Lombard 2

Scarlets (3) 18

Tries: Penalty try, Roberts Pens: Costelow 2

Scarlets remain rooted to the bottom of the United Rugby Championship (URC) after a bonus-point defeat by Lions in the league's basement battle in Johannesburg.

Two late tries from replacement hooker Morne Brandon sealed the 29-18 win after full-back Quan Horn and Franco Marais had earlier crossed the Scarlets line.

It gave the South African hosts their first win of the season following three away losses.

Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow kicked two penalties to reduce the lead to 16-13 in the 68th minute, and the visitors had a sniff of victory when the Lions were reduced to 14 men.

Lions lock Darrien Landsberg was shown a yellow card for collapsing a maul but Scarlets failed to take advantage and Brandon crashed over twice to seal the victory.

Scarlets replacement Joe Roberts managed a consolation try, but they failed to gain a losing bonus-point as Lions' replacement Gianni Lombard slotted over his second and the hosts' third penalty with the final kick of the game.

The dreary Ellis Park contest, played in front of a sparse crowd, demonstrated why both sides had failed to register a win coming into the game.

Scarlets were indebted to the turnover work of their South African duo Jarrod Taylor and Marnus van der Merwe, but offered little in attack as the forwards failed to establish an attacking platform

This display came a week after failing to score a league point for the first time in 18 years in the 34-0 defeat by Stormers.

Centre Johnny Williams had talked earlier in the season about opposition fearing the Scarlets backline, but the side have so far not backed up those words with actions.

Scarlets have not been helped by significant forward injuries, especially in the second row, with six locks missing including Jake Ball, Sam Lousi and Max Douglas

This forced Peel to name two lock loan signings, Harvey Cuckson and Alex Groves, to start together for the first time after only meeting up this week.

So Scarlets were again outmuscled as their scrum suffered in the second half.

Dwayne Peel's side hope to have some of their injured locks back for when they travel to face Sharks next Saturday.

With games against Glasgow, Bristol and Bordeaux to follow, Scarlets will have their work cut out to register that first win of the season.

Lions: Q Horn; Keyter, Van Wyk, Kriel, Davids; Smith, Steyn; Kotze, Marais, Ntlabakanye, Oosthuizen, Landsberg, JC Pretorius, Venter, F Horn (capt).

Replacements: Brandon, Schoeman, Van Vuuren, Nothnagel, Cairns, L Horn, Lombard, Mpeku.

Sin-bin: Landsberg 68

Scarlets: Nicholas; Mee, Page, Williams (capt), Murray; Costelow, Hughes; Hepburn, Van der Merwe, Holz, Cuckson, Groves, Taylor, Davis, Plumtree.

Replacements: Myhill, O'Connor, Thomas, Gemine, Williams, Blacker, Hawkins, Roberts.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Griffin Colby & AJ Jacobs (SARU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)