Costelow injury worry for Wales as Scarlets thrash Newcastle

Tries: Costelow, Anderson, J Williams, G Davies, Mee, Page 2 Cons: Costelow 2, Hawkins 4

Newcastle Red Bulls (0) 14

Tries: Spencer, Leatherbarrow Con: Hodge 2

Scarlets cantered to a seven-try bonus-point European Challenge Cup win against Newcastle Red Bulls, but fly-half Sam Costelow has given Wales coach Steve Tandy an injury concern.

Costelow scored the opening try only to limp off with a hamstring problem later in the first half, just three days before Tandy names his squad for next month's Autumn Nations Championship campaign.

Wales hopeful Macs Page scored two tries on his 50th appearance, while number eight Fletcher Anderson, centre Johnny Williams, scrum-half Gareth Davies and wing Ellis Mee also crossed as Scarlets began their European campaign in style.

It was an unsuccessful return to Llanelli for former Scarlets and Wales fly-half Stephen Jones, who is now a Newcastle assistant coach and locked horns against his former half-back partner Dwayne Peel.

Newcastle responded with late tries from Oliver Spencer and Ollie Leatherbarrow as they suffered a fourth successive defeat following three losses in the Prem.

In front of a crowd of 5,629, Anderson and Davies, who impressed as replacements in the 27-26 win against Benetton, made first starts of the season.

Newcastle fielded a much-changed side as they gave debuts to wing Brandon Jackson and Argentina prop Francisco Moreno, while 18-year-old Scottish fly-half Jake Dalziel started.

Full-back Blair Murray provided the first inspirational moment with a 60-metre counter-attacking run but the move came to nothing.

Despite having early treatment, Costelow opened the scoring with an opportunistic individual try, gliding through the heart of the Newcastle defence.

Scrum-half Davies, who has been tipped for a Wales recall if he decides to reverse his international retirement, provided the catalyst for the second score when his clever cross-kick was gathered by Mee who was dragged down just short of the line before Anderson charged over.

A well-worked third try saw lock Alex Groves power through the visitors' defence before providing the try-scoring pass to centre Williams.

Scarlets' indiscipline, with infringements including backchat to the referee and kicking the ball away, provided Newcastle with an attacking platform, but they could not capitalise.

Joe Hawkins came on for Costelow and converted the fourth try scored by Davies, following a fine Mee break.

Scarlets: Murray; Mee, Roberts, Williams, Page; Costelow, G Davies; Mathias, McKee, Harri O'Connor, Cuckson, Groves, Lousi, Macleod (capt), Anderson.

Replacements: Elias, Sam O'Connor, Hawley, Plumtree, Davis, Blacker, Hawkins, James.

Newcastle: Hodge; Ene, Harris, Hutchison, Jackson; Dalziel, Elliott; West, Fletcher, Moreno, Baker, Molina, Ferrie, Leatherbarrow, Graham (capt).

Replacements: Adejimi, Brocklebank, McCallum, Usher, Hicks, Benitez Cruz, Connon, Spencer.