Costelow kick seals Scarlets' first league win

A late Sam Costelow penalty secured Scarlets' first United Rugby Championship (URC) win of the season as they defeated Benetton 27-26.

The 78th-minute kick from the Wales fly-half spoiled Wayne Pivac's return to Llanelli as Scarlets battled back from a 21-7 half-time deficit.

Nigel Davies' side took an early lead through flanker Sam Lousi but Benetton responded with first-half tries from hooker Siua Maile, wing Onisi Ratave and flanker Michele Lamaro.

The crucial introduction of number eight Fletcher Anderson and scrum-half Gareth Davies transformed Scarlets' flagging fortunes.

Wales wing Ellis Mee scored two tries, while full-back and player of the match Blair Murray also crossed as the Scarlets back three, alongside Macs Page, tormented the Benetton defence with moments of individual brilliance.

Italy wing Louis Lynagh regained the Benetton lead with an opportunistic try before Costelow's late match-winning intervention.

Pivac back on familiar soil with Italian side

Pivac was Scarlets head coach between 2014 and 2019 before replacing Wales boss Warren Gatland.

His most notable achievement in Llanelli was guiding them to the Pro12 title in 2017, while Scarlets also reached the final and Champions Cup semi-final the following year.

There was also a return for Scarlets fly-half Rhys Patchell who is now in Pivac's coaching staff.

Both side were looking for a first victory of the season after Benetton drew with Dragons and lost to Connacht in the opening two games, while Scarlets had been beaten in Welsh derbies by Cardiff and Dragons.

Scarlets started strongly after Mee won the kick-off, which helped build the pressure for Lousi to power over with Costelow converting.

They spurned a chance to extend the lead as they failed to take advantage of a huge burst from centre Eddie James, who had switched from inside to outside centre.

Benetton regrouped and responded with a score from a driving line-out from Maile.

Ratave took advantage of some weak Scarlets defence as he powered through an attempted tackle from lock Alex Groves and evaded flanker Josh Macleod before carrying hooker Ryan Elias, Murray and Page over the line.

Scarlets rallied with an incisive break from Murray, carried on by James and Costelow, but Benetton forced a turnover penalty.

The hosts were not aided by an inaccurate kicking game with Murray and Page guilty of booting the ball out on the full.

Benetton were denied a third try for centre Francois Mey after the television match official (TMO) spotted a knock-on in the build-up.

Scarlets' kicking woes continued when scrum-half Dane Blacker conceded a penalty for offside with a wayward effort and Benetton pounced through captain Lamaro to set up a 14-point half-time lead.

Scarlets bounce back with stylish second-half showing

Following a dismal first-half, Scarlets brought on Anderson, who was making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a groin injury.

Former Wales scrum-half Davies, 36 , was also brought on as the hosts looked for some control, and Scarlets looked a different side with the duo's introduction.

Murray has proved one of the few shining Scarlets' lights this season and his anticipation allowed him to intercept a Lamaro pass and sprint 80 metres to score.

Page provided some individual brilliance after collecting his own deft chip before providing a sublime long pass to release Mee, who provided the spectacular finish to bring his side within two points.

Lousi proved his defensive effectiveness by stopping an attacking Benetton driving maul and then charged down and regathered a kick but his attempted try-scoring pass just went astray.

That mattered little when later in the same passage of play, Mee, Murray and Gareth Davies made yards before Costelow's cross kick was gathered by Mee, who rounded Ratave for the bonus-point try.

Costelow missed a second conversion and Benetton rallied with Lynagh latching onto a clever kick from centre Leonardo Marin as the Italians regained the lead.

A 76th-minute Macleod turnover penalty helped Scarlets get up the field and laid the platform for Costelow's penalty a couple of minutes later.

Benetton won possession from the restart but Scarlets held on for a dramatic, and much-needed, victory in front of a crowd that was announced as 6,026.

Nigel Davies' men have a URC double-header in South Africa later this month after starting their Challenge Cup campaign against Newcastle next weekend, who have Scarlets legend Stephen Jones in their coaching staff.

Line-ups

Scarlets: Murray; Mee, James, Hawkins, Page; Costelow, Blacker; Mathias, Elias, Henry Thomas, Groves, Evans, Lousi, Macleod (capt), O Williams.

Replacements: McKee, S O'Connor, H O'Connor, Cuckson, Anderson, G Davies, J Roberts, J Williams.

Benetton: R Smith; Lynagh, Mey, Marin, Ratave; Umaga, Garbisi; Spagnolo, Maile, Zilocchi, Cannone, Midena, Ruzza, Lamaro (capt), Fa'aso'o.

Replacements: Bernasconi, Medrano, Ferrari, Walker-Leawere, Kingi, Werchon, J Smith, Zanandrea.

Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Ben Connor (Wales), Marcus Caudle (Wales)