Macleod double secures Scarlets win over Black Lion
Johnny Williams scored Scarlets' third try against Black Lion
- Published
European Challenge Cup:
Scarlets (19) 36
Tries: G Davies, Macleod 2, J Williams, A Hughes Cons: Costelow 4 Pen: Costelow
Black Lion (11) 18
Tries: Ivanishvili, Babunashvili Cons: Tsirekidze Pens: Matkava 2
Captain Josh Macleod scored two tries as Scarlets avenged last season's Challenge Cup defeat against Georgian side Black Lion in Llanelli.
Dwayne Peel's side secured a bonus-point win as Scarlets took advantage of the 41st minute red card for Lado Chachanidze.
The Black Lion lock was shown a red card for a dangerous clearout on Macleod as he threw the Scarlets skipper up in the air who landed on his head.
Gareth Davies, Johnny Williams and Archie Hughes also crossed with Sam Costelow kicking 11 points, while number eight Vaea Fifita was outstanding in attack and the line-out.
Black Lion responded with tries from Luka Ivanishvili and Mikheil Babunashvili.
The match bordered on farce on occasions, lasting more than two hours with French referee Kevin Bralley and his officials continuously dragging out proceedings by regularly going to the television match official (TMO).
The Georgians had opened this year's campaign by defeating a Top 14 side for the first time, earning a 22-19 win against a depleted Vannes side in Tbilisi last weekend.
The two sides met exactly 12 months ago when Black Lion stunned Scarlets with a shock 23-7 win in Llanelli in last year's competition.
There was no repeat on this occasion as Scarlets lifted themselves to third in their pool with a trip to Gloucester and hosting Vannes in January to follow.
Scarlets start strongly
Scarlets made nine changes from the side that lost to Bayonne with prop Henry Thomas coming in for Sam Wainwright who is to undergo surgery on an ankle problem.
Visiting prop Giorgi Chkhartishvili suffered an early facial injury but referee Bralley refused to stop the game, to the annoyance of Black Lion coach Richard Cockerill.
Wing Ellis Mee took advantage with a fine run and inside pass to scrum-half Davies with Costelow converting.
The TMO deemed the stray elbow from Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe was accidental with no foul play detected.
Georgia fly-half Luka Matkava slotted over two penalties before he was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Scarlets centre Williams, and from the resulting driving line-out, captain Macleod dived over.
Loose kicks from Costelow and Joe Roberts meant Scarlets failed to further take advantage of the extra man but when Matkava returned, the hosts crossed for a well-worked third try through centre Williams.
Scarlets' defence was caught napping when visiting number eight Ivanishvili took a quick penalty and crashed over as Black Lion trailed 19-11 at half-time.
Black Lion see red
Lock Chachanidze received his red card 56 seconds into the second half with Macleod the victim before the Scarlets flanker secured his second try from another driving line-out.
Matkava's side-stepping run then caught Scarlets lock Max Douglas out with his head making contact with the Black Lion fly-half.
Douglas was shown a yellow card for the dangerous tackle and only avoided being sent off because the officials judged there was mitigation from Matkava's late change of direction.
That was no consolation for Matkava who was forced to leave the field before the TMO was again consulted over a potential Black Lion try that was ruled out before lock Babunashvili flopped over.
Scarlets full-back Ioan Nicholas was denied a score by a brilliant try-saving tackle from Ivanishvili.
Costelow restored some order with a penalty before replacement scrum-half Archie Hughes completed the try scoring.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel: "It was the game we expected. It was a difficult and physical match.
"We started brightly before we let them back into the game but we collected ourselves well at half-time and we were clinical and that is the growth in this group.
"In the end it was job done and we got the five points."
Black Lion head coach Richard Cockerill: "I wish we had disconnected the TMO and let the referee get on with things. It was ridiculous.
"It was a good game and the best team won.
"I am proud of the performance and the way we stuck in and we showed we are a competitive bunch.
"But we deserved the red card and if we make those silly mistakes in a proper competition like this, it costs your team and it cost us today."
Scarlets: Nicholas; Rogers, Roberts, J Williams, Mee; Costelow, G Davies; Mathias, van der Merwe, Thomas, Douglas, Lousi, Plumtree, Macleod (capt), Fifita.
Replacements: S Evans, Hepburn, Holz, J Price, Taylor, Hughes, Lloyd, James.
Sin-bin: Douglas 56
Black Lion: Tsirekidze; Tabutsadze, Tapladze, Kakhoidze, Shvangiradze; Matkava (capt), Peranidze; Kakovin, IKvatadze, Chkhartishvili, Chachanidze, Babunashvili, Mamamtavrishvili, Tsutskiridze, Ivanishvili.
Replacements: Zamtaradze, Abdushelishvili, Tchumbadze, Epremidze, Sinauridze, Khuroshvili, Metreveli, Todua.
Red card: Chachanidze 41
Sin-bin: Matkava 16
Referee: Kevin Bralley (FFR)
Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque & Flavien Hourquet (FFR)
TMO: Cedric Marchat (FFR)