Ulster Rugby vs Llanelli Scarlets

Most of the season has been spent as league leaders but things couldn’t be tighter at the top with only one point separating first placed Ulster and Scarlets in fourth. It was a dramatic victory over the PRO12 champions that got the Scarlets’ season off to a positive start in the first round. In the midst of Rugby World Cup fervor and with two tries, two penalties and a dramatic finish to rival any World Cup game the Scarlets closed out a 10-16 victory with only 11 players on the field to secure a first success at Scotstoun by an opposition side in the PRO12 since November 2013. The Scarlets backed up their dramatic victory over Glasgow in Scotstoun with another win over tough PRO12 opponents, Ulster Rugby. It wasn’t always comfortable for Scarlets fans as the home side conceded two tries and saw three players sent to the sin bin. Ulster have yet to pick up a victory at the Parc since 2010. A classic it may not have been but an 8-20 victory over Zebre Rugby at their Stadio Lanfranchi home ensured an historic day for the Scarlets in the PRO12 in round three. Scarlets were looking for a seventh consecutive PRO12 victory in Italy to ensure their best ever run in the competition. The victory over Zebre also meant five consecutive victories on the road. A defiant Leinster were put to the sword at Parc y Scarlets as DTH secured a brace on debut. Despite a late resurgence from Leinster in the second half, the Scarlets had done more than enough to secure a comfortable victory in the end. As the Scarlets went in search of their ninth consecutive victory, so too were Munster looking to continue their own run of victories, not having lost a game all season. It wasn’t the start the home crowd had hoped for with Munster drawing first blood and going ahead early on. It was the Scarlets who made the most of possession in the opening exchange however and a pair of tries ensured the game would come down to a tense climax. The first time the Scarlets took the lead was in the 80th minute with the final kick of the game. A win over Newport Gwent Dragons in the side’s first Welsh derby of the season was followed quickly by a first defeat in the PRO12 this season as Leinster reigned supreme at their RDS home ahead of the Champions Cup opener. Scarlets got back to winning ways with a pair of Italian jobs secured over Zebre, at the Parc, followed by a tense affair against Treviso sandwiched in between the European rounds. There was no festive spirit in West Wales as the Scarlets recorded defeats in both Christmas derbies, against Ospreys at the Parc and Cardiff Blues at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park. A 21-19 victory over this afternoon’s opposition a few weeks back, at Parc y Scarlets, ensured that the Scarlets remained at the top of the table before heading into the final rounds of the Champions Cup campaign. West was best as January came to a close but the West of Ireland and not West Wales as Connacht ran in four tries to defeat the Scarlets 30-17 as the Welsh failed to capitalise on opportunities and allowed indiscipline to rule the roost. Last week’s home game, against Edinburgh, was a much-needed win with Aled Thomas showing nerves of steel kicking a penalty to win the game in the dying moments. afternoon’s opposition, Ulster, looking for a result that will keep them in the top four and play-off positions. With only seven rounds of the regular Guinness PRO12 season remaining, Scarlets take on this SCARLETS SEASON SO FAR …

OPPOSITION

CLUB STATS //Location Llanelli, Wales //Founded 2003 //Ground Parc y Scarlets //Capacity 14,800 //Last Game Edinburgh Rugby (H) 22 - 21(W) Friday 12th Feb 2016, 20:15 //Next Game Edinburgh Rugby (A) Sunday 28th Feb 2016, 14:05 //Recent Form L L W L W

STAFF // Coach Wayne Pivac // Captain Ken Owens

CONTACT Parc y Scarlets Pemberton Retail Park Llanelli Carmarthenshire Tel +44 1554 783 900 TICKET OFFICE Tel +44 1554 783 900

www.scarlets.co.uk

@scarlets_rugby OfficialScarlets

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