Rising stars thrive for Scarlets

■By SIMON THOMAS

Scarlets ………… 30pts

Tries: Rogers 28, Page 43, Murray 47, Macleod 57

Conversions: Lloyd 45, 58

Penalties: Lloyd 5, 23

Zebre ……………….. 8pts

Try: Cambriani 9

Penalty: Prisciantelli 6

A TRIO of young Wales squad backs took starring roles as the Scarlets recorded their third successive victory in the URC.

Wingers Tom Rogers and Blair Murray went over for tries, while outstanding centre Eddie James was the player of the match.

Another rising star behind the scrum, teenager Macs Page, produced a superb finish, while skipper Josh Macleod claimed the bonus point score.

The Scarlets had led by only three points after a mistake-ridden opening half, but a three try blitz inside 14 minutes in the third quarter ended the game as a contest.

Head coach Dwayne Peel said: “We turned the ball over 11 times in the first half. That isn’t good enough.

“We were just careless and inaccurate. There were so many unforced errors.

“So there was a bit of a rocket at half time. I just said we have got to be better. The players were disappointed about the carelessness themselves.

“So we addressed that and started the second half fast. We were clinical in that period and got the job done.”

After an early ex- change of penalties, the Italian visitors claimed the opening try when their Swansea-born wing Ben Cambriani profited from a pinpoint cross-kick from fly-half Giovanni Montemauri.

The Scarlets responded when No.8 Taine Plumtree joined the backs to release Rogers, who managed to get the ball down one-handed in the corner while keeping his feet out of touch as he was felled by opposite number Simone Gesi.

Having stuttered their way to a narrow 11-8 interval lead, the hosts were a different team on the resumption.

Put into a gap by a perfectly timed short pass from co-centre James, the 19-year-old Page delivered a classy finish as he evaded one diving defender and stood up the last man before going around him.

Four minutes later, Page turned provider as he fed Plumtree, with the back row hitting a great line to bust the defence before giving his second scoring pass as he sent Murray over.

Then, just before the hour mark, flanker McLeod broke off a lineout maul drive to secure maximum points.

Having failed to win any of their first three league matches, the Scarlets have now rattled off back-to-back victories over Cardiff, the Bulls and Zebre.