REPORT: Bristol Rugby 62-16 Scarlets

The home side scored nine tries at Ashton Gate to end a run of two successive defeats. Jack Lam grabbed a first half hat-trick, while Tom Varndell (2), Jack Wallace, David Lemi, Jack O’Connell and Ross McMillan also touched down.

Bristol dominated the opening exchanges and took the lead when Jack Lam burrowed over from five metres for a converted try.

The hosts should have doubled the advantage moments later as Will Cliff broke clear, only for the scrum half to get intercepted by a Scarlets defender.

Instead, Josh Lewis struck a penalty goal to reduce the deficit to 7-3 on the quarter-hour.

Bristol continued to threaten the Scarlets whitewash with David Lemi going close, while Gavin Henson struck a simple three pointer to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Another Josh Lewis penalty kept the visitors in touch, but Jack Lam grabbed his second of the afternoon, peeling off the back of a driving maul, before David Lemi rounded off a flowing counter attack soon after.

Scarlets lost Wyn Jones to the sin-bin with ten minutes remaining in the first half and Jack Lam capitalized from the resulting penalty, dabbing down for his hat-trick try.

On the stroke of the interval, a rampant Bristol added a fifth when Jack O’Connell scrambled over the whitewash for a converted score.

The procession of tries continued early in the second period when Jack Wallace collected Gavin Henson’s offload to dot down, moving the hosts 41-9 ahead.

Ryan Elias became the second Scarlets player to be sin-binned and although Nick Koster was denied close to the line, Bristol hit a half-century of points when replacement hooker Ross McMillan went over from a driving lineout.

Rhodri Williams hit back for Scarlets with a fine, mazy individual effort, but any faint hopes of a revival were dashed as Tom Varndell rose highest to collect Adrian Jarvis’ crossfield kick to touch down.

And the winger fended off several defenders to slide over for a second late on, sealing a comfortable victory in the B&I Cup.

Bristol Rugby:

Jack Wallace; Tom Varndell, Jack Tovey, Gavin Henson, David Lemi (c); Matthew Morgan, Will Cliff; Jack O’Connell, Chris Brooker, Anthony Perenise, Joe Joyce, Mark Sorenson, Nick Koster, Jack Lam, James Phillips.

Replacements: Ross McMillan (for Chris Brooker, 40 mins), Gaston Cortes (for Anthony Perenise, 40 mins), Glen Townson (for Rayn Smid, 41 mins), Rayn Smid (for Jack Lam, 40 mins), Andy Uren (for Will Cliff, 71 mins), Adrian Jarvis (for Jack Wallace, 54 mins), Tommaso Benvenuti (for Jack Tovey, 63 mins).

Scarlets Premiership Select:

Will Thomas; Tom Williams, Jacob Cowley, Billy Mcbryde, Nathan Edwards; Josh Lewis, Josh Williams; Wyn Jones, Kirby Myhill, Will Taylor, Josh Helps, Jack Jones, Tom Phillips (c), Owain Morgan, Jack Condy.

Replacements: Ryan Elias (for Kirby Myhill, 47 mins), Rhys Thomas (for Nathan Edwards, 41 mins), Ben Leung (for Will Taylor, 66 mins), Ben Thompson (for Josh Lewis, 70 mins), Shaun Evans (for Owain Morgan, 40 mins), Connor Lloyd (for Rhodri Williams, 62 mins), Matthew Pearce (for Billy Mcbryde, 66 mins).

Referee: Sean Gallagher

Man of the Match: David Lemi

Attendance: 5,109