Report: Scarlets 21-52 Bristol Bears

Pat Lam’s side led by just a single point at the half-time interval, after tries from Semi Radradra and Ioan Lloyd were cancelled out by Ryan Elias’ close range effort and two penalties from the boot of Rhys Patchell.

The Scarlets number ten added another three-pointer early in the second period, before Kyle Sinckler saw his try disallowed by the TMO after it had been awarded on field.

But when Elias’ stray hand prevented a certain try in the corner, Mathieu Reynal awarded the Bears a penalty try and brandished a yellow card to the Wales international.

Johnny McNicholl flew over in the corner to level the scores on the hour mark, before Pat Lam’s side shifted into top gear with five tries in the final 17 minutes to blow away the hosts in sensational style.

First Joyce’s delicate offload sent Thacker over under the posts, then the hooker presented a flat pass to a surging Piers O’Conor, who brushed aside two tacklers to fly over for his side’s fifth.

Simply a different level. 📈@ChrisVui_ came to PLAY. 👏

🔴 3-14 🐻#SCAvBRI | #BristolBearspic.twitter.com/iT71QU1k6T

— Bristol Bears (@BristolBears) January 22, 2022

Luatua’s burst and offload sent the returning Siva Naulago into the corner, before Callum Sheedy cruised over in the opposite corner, as the Bears turned on the style at Parc y Scarlets.

There was still time for one more, as Luatua and Naulago combined to provide Radradra with a second on the stroke of full time, to cap a quite scintiallting second-half showing from the Bears.

Scarlets: McNicholl; L Williams, Davies (capt), S Williams, Conbeer; Patchell, Blacker; W Jones, Elias, Lee, Lousi, M Jones, Tuipulotu, S Evans, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: M Jones, Price, Sebastian, Helps, I Rees, Hardy, Costelow, Nicholas.

Bristol Bears: Piutau (Uren 65); Morahan, Radradra, Lloyd (O’Conor 32), Purdy (Naulago 54); Sheedy, Randall; Woolmore (Y Thomas 54), Byrne, Sinckler (Afoa 54), Holmes, Joyce (Hawkins 72), Vui (Luatua 65), D Thomas, Harding.

Replacements: Thacker, Y Thomas, Afoa, Hawkins, Luatua, Uren, O'Conor, Naulago.

Scarlets: Tries: Elias 23, McNicholl 61. Cons: Patchell 23. Pens: Patchell 7, 30, 43. Yellow: Elias 58

Bristol Bears: Tries: Radradra 12, 79, Lloyd 18, Penalty 58, Thacker 63, O’Conor 69, Naulago 70, Sheedy 77. Cons: Sheedy 12, 18, 63, 69, 77