Scarlets take apart Zebre as resurgence continues in style

Scarlets secured a third successive win in the United Rugby Championship by beating Zebre Parma 30-8 in Llanelli.

Tries from Tom Rogers, Macs Page, Blair Murray and captain Josh Macleod helped Scarlets recover from Ben Cambriani’s early score for the Italians to earn the bonus point.

Buoyed by snapping a five-match losing run at Parc y Scarlets when beating Bulls in round five, Scarlets took an early lead through Ioan Lloyd’s penalty.

But Zebre, on a run of three successive defeats, fought back to take an 8-6 lead courtesy of Geronimo Prisciantelli’s drop goal and Cambriani’s try from Giovanni Montemauri’s superb kick.

Lloyd’s second penalty reduced the deficit to two points and Scarlets then moved back in front when Rogers went over in the corner following a slick move for an 11-8 half-time lead.

Two tries in the opening six minutes of the second half saw Scarlets surge ahead, with Page first bursting clear of the Zebre defence and leaving them trailing in his wake, Lloyd adding the extras.

Murray then went over shortly afterwards after a terrific team move and Macleod crossed for a fourth try from close range after a maul following sustained Scarlets pressure, Lloyd converting the latter.

Zebre, who have failed to win away from home in the competition since January 2021, rarely threatened to add to their tally.

Scarlets comfortably saw the game out to extend their unbeaten run against Zebre to 18 games, winning 17 of them, while also registering a third win in a row in the URC for the first time since February 2023.