The Scarlets couldn’t end their South African tour with a win as they came unstuck 32-15 against the Lions in Sunday’s United Rugby Championship encounter at Ellis Park.
Dan Davis, Tom Rogers and Sam Lousi scored tries for the visitors, but the hosts scored four themselves to claim the spoils.
Outstanding No. 8 Emmanuel Tshituka crossed twice for the Lions, with Rabz Maxwane and Jaco Kriel also touching down.
The Scarlets were less than impressed with some of the calls by made referee Ben Blain and their captain Jonathan Davies could be heard complaining strongly to the official as the game finished.
The defeat leaves them near the bottom of the URC table, with only Zebre below them.
The result meant a losing clean sweep for the four Welsh regions this weekend, with Cardiff crashing 49-9 to the Bulls, the Dragons going down 34-26 to Stormers and Ospreys losing 25-10 to the Sharks.
Defying the hot and uncomfortable conditions in Johannesburg, the Lions started strongly, scoring two quick tries in the opening 20 minutes. The first saw wing Rabz Maxwane find his way over the Scarlets line, then No. 8 Emmanuel Tshituka crossed from a retreating scrum. With fly-half Jordan Hendrikse adding a penalty and a conversion, the hosts were 15-0 and good value for their lead, with the visitors making too many mistakes.
But the Welsh side did improve. A fine run across field from Tom Rogers helped give them a useful position and Lousi was denied a score after picking up from an offside position. A touchdown did come shortly after, however, with Aaron Shingler taking clean lineout ball and Davis diving across amid a powerful driving maul.
Costelow provided further hope with a defence-splitting break but the visitors messed up a short-range lineout, with Henrikse slotting a further penalty to put the hosts 18-5 in front at the break.
Scarlets saw Vaea Fifita head off with a bloodied face after a blow from flanker Darrien Landsberg in a tackle which the referee surprisingly chose not to punish with a yellow card, despite Costelow being earlier binned for a more innocuous-looking hit.
Jaco Kriel finished a lineout play off the training ground, only for the Scarlets to hit back with a score out wide for Tom Rogers after nice passing from Rhys Patchell and Steff Evans.
The revival didn’t develop legs, despite the Lions having Hendrikse sin-binned, with the hosts reasserting themselves with another try from Tshituka and a conversion from Zander du Plessis.
The hard-working Lousi drove over for the visitors late on, but it was no more than a consolation.
SCORERS
Lions: Tries: R. Maxwane, E Tshituka (2), J. Kriel. Con: J. Hendrikse (2), Z. Du Plessis. Pens: J. Hendrikse (2)
Scarlets: Try: D. Davis, T. Rogers, S. Louis.
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