Scarlets produced a stunning performance to see off last season’s BKT United Rugby Championship finalists the Vodacom Bulls, producing a display packed with character, defensive resilience and clinical edge.
Tries from skipper Josh Macleod and superb solo efforts from wings Blair Murray and Tom Rogers saw the Scarlets overturn a 19-7 deficit to secure a 23-22 victory.
Parc y Scarlets was rocking at the finale as the West Walians secured their first home win of the campaign, rewarding the supporters who got behind the time throughout a bruising contest.
Taine Plumtree earned the man-of-the-match medal, but there were heroes across the field against a side who went into the game unbeaten so far in the Championship.
In the opening exchanges, the Bulls threatened to replicate their rapid game-winning start against the Ospreys a week earlier when they raced over for the opening try with barely two minutes on the clock – Springbok centre Canan Moodie finishing off a sweeping move. Fly-half Boeta Chamberlain converted.
But back came the Scarlets.
A clever long line-out move took play up to the Bulls line and with the forwards pounding at the Bulls line, skipper Josh Macleod managed to twist over from close range. Lloyd added the extras and the scores were level.
But the visitors then took control of the game with two unanswered tries, one from scrum-half Zak Burger, who took advantage of a vacant blindside and another from South African Test speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse, who gathered a loose ball and dived over. The match officials did look to see if the ball had gone forward, but ruled in the visitors’ favour.
Bulls continued to dominate possession and territory, but Scarlets showed huge defensive resolve to prevent a fourth try and Ioan Lloyd reduced the arrears to 19-10 with a well-struck penalty with the last kick of the half.
Scarlets then gave the Bulls a taste of their own medicine with a blistering start to the second period.
A dummy and half-break by Lloyd created the space, his off-load found Murray, who still had lots to do, but the winger raced through the gap, shrugging off tackles along the way to get to the try-line.
Lloyd was wide with the conversion, then Chamberlain landed a penalty to make it 22-15 on the 50-minute mark.
It needed a try-saving tackle by Rogers on the rampaging Cobus Wiese to prevent a fourth Bulls try, but the Scarlets managed to hold out again and another Lloyd three-pointer made it a four-point game again going into the dramatic final quarter.
As the rain swept and the crowd in full voice, the Scarlets grew in confidence and when replacement hooker Johan Grobbellaar was shown red for a high hit on Marnus van der Merwe on 67 minutes, Scarlets struck.
Sub Jac Price, on his 50th appearance, thought he had scored, but the TMO ruled otherwise, then Rogers produced his moment of magic.
Taking a long pass from Sam Costelow, the Wales international had a clutch of Bulls defenders to beat, but proceeded to step inside Springboks Arendse and Moodie to dot down, to the delight of the Parc y Scarlets support.
Lloyd’s conversion was wide, but the Scarlets were in the lead for the first time and that is how it stayed for the final eight minutes to complete a memorable victory for Dwayne Peel’s men.
Scarlets finish off this first block of URC fixtures when they take on Zebre Parma at Parc y Scarlets on Friday night.
Scarlets – tries: J. Macleod, B. Murray, T. Rogers. Cons: I. Lloyd. Pens: Lloyd (2).
Bulls – tries: C. Moodie, Z. Burger, K-L. Arendse. Cons: B. Chamberlain (2). Pen: Chamberlain.