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Scarlets thump Cardiff as rugby returns to Wales after 169-day break

By PA
(Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images)

Rugby finally returned to Wales after a break of 169 days and it was business as usual for the Scarlets as they completed a Guinness PRO14 double over Cardiff Blues at Parc y Scarlets, winning 32-12.

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It took the home side a mere four minutes to get back in the groove when they worked flanker Ed Kennedy over for the opening try in the left corner. Moments earlier the back row man had been hauled down five metres short by Blues full-back Hallam Amos.

Back came the Scarlets and some fast feet from Steff Evans opened up a gap for new signing Johnny Williams to race 20 metres deep into the Blues’ 22. Leigh Halfpenny then picked out Kennedy with a long pass and he opened the scoring.

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Halfpenny was wide with the conversion and then struck the upright with a penalty off the ten-metre line as the pressure built on the visitors.

The Blues managed to hold up a driving lineout and then stole a Scarlets throw, but when Evans charged down a kick up the field by Harri Millard on the Blues’ ten-metre line, all he had to do was kick and control the ball for the second try.

This time Halfpenny hit the mark and the Scarlets were twelve points to the good midway through the opening period. Just as it was starting to look ominous for the Blues, they stole another lineout and worked the ball from left to right and back again to give Josh Adams the chance to race to the posts for a good try in response.

Jarrod Evans added the extras and it was game on again. Halfpenny then kicked a penalty to make it 15-7 at the break.

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The Blues had a terrible ten minutes at the start of the second half as they lost Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams with a shoulder injury, conceded a kick-and-chase try to the fleet-footed Evans and then lost skipper Josh Turnbull to the sin bin for a cynical breakdown penalty.

The Scarlets scored twice while he was away, through new lock Sam Lousi and Wales wing Johnny McNicholl, and it was all over. The Blues picked up a consolation try from Matthew Morgan, but they were well beaten in the end.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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