I arrived to see Neil de Kock, Steve Borthwick & Glen Jackson partaking in the warm-up albeit in yellow vests. A change of heart from Eddie maybe? But no the team when announced was as expected, mostly youth with a bit of experience. The Saracen Tunnel deflated – an omen maybe? The new makedo scoreboard recorded Scarlets as “Visitors” reminding me of the playing fields where I live and not a Premiership outfit but then these days Vicarage Road does look a bit sorry for itself. How different from the brand new Parc y Scarlets waiting to be unwrapped for Llanelli next month. Still a beer in hand and the compulsory round of applause for HRH Richard Hill. It wasn’t looking too bad.

When the 2 sides last met in this competition last December the weather was cold wet & windy – no change there then. Sarries fielded 4 survivors from the team who “lost” at Strady (but won the group) Franny Lee, Gordon Ross, Moses & Ben Skirving.  The referee then was Englishman Dave Pearson – this time it was Welshman James Jones and as we all know after our experiences at the hands of one Mr Owens, we’re not that keen on welsh referees. Mr Jones cut his teeth as a sevens referee, not sure if that explains what happened but more later.

The dreadful Amy and her Starsations tried to make us do a silly dance. Fortunately most of the crowd had more sense – in fact the only enthusiasm came from the Scarlets' supporters in the North Stand who as the match went on got more and more excited by Amy’s girls. When will they learn we come to watch a rugby match not play party games? That was very bad. (Sorry, rant over).

No opportunity to see how Moses measured up in his first duty as captain because there was no mascot today. (I have to say I think Borthwick is great – even has a photo shoot with the little treasures. Huge used to look like they were going to bite him – perhaps they did, Neil de Kock was a bit indifferent I thought, but surprisingly Kevin Yates was great ).

So to the kick off. Gordon Ross hoofed the ball downfield. Scarlets conceded a penalty straight away. Ross opted to kick from wide on the left with a swirling breeze. He missed.  The ball was sent back to the Sarries half  and within minutes the Boys in Black had conceded their first penalty of the day (? For offside). From the howls of those closer than I it sounded like an injustice. Whatever, Stephen Jones missed the kick so it wasn’t so bad.

The drop out went loose (from Barrell I think) and the ball was kicked forward by Regan King towards the Sarries try line. Quick footwork from Moses, who seemed to be everywhere, saved the try but conceded a 5m scrum. The pack struggled vainly against the more experienced Scarlets forwards. The referee gave both hookers a lecture then when the scrum was reset, Sarries conceded a penalty. Sensing the upper hand, Scarlets opted for another scrum. Again it was reset but at the third attempt Scarlets held the ball in the back row and walked the ball over the try line, David Lyons touching down. Jones converted and Scarlets led 7-0 after 7 minutes. This could be a long afternoon. It was looking like the men against the boys. It was looking bad.

But from the restart Sarries won a penalty which Ross kicked to touch on the Scarlets 22. A messy line out led eventually to another penalty which was taken quickly and Moses neatly found Goode who passed on to Franny Lee out wide. He scored and had the sense to run the ball towards the post to make the conversion easier for Ross. So 7-7 after 12 minutes. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all.

There was some promising play from Sarries over the next few minutes with Cato looking particularly dangerous. At one point he collected the ball from the breakdown and kicked on beating Nathan Brew to the ball but his kick was just too strong and went over the dead-ball line as Cato dived despairingly onto it. From the drop out Sarries attacked through the middle with The Mighty Ches looking particularly strong but the attack was slow. Eventually Ross found Goode who passed on to Cato and his pace took him over in the corner. Ross converted well from wide on the right and after 18 minutes it was 14-7. Not bad at all!

For the next 5 minutes there were a series of penalties, one to Sarries but 2 to Scarlets, 1 for not releasing, something that became the theme of the match. Mr Jones was certainly quick on the whistle and Sarries didn’t seem to learn. Jones kicked the penalty from the half way line making it 14-10. From the restart Sarries for once won a penalty (?not rolling away). Ross kicked to touch and Ches yet again pouched the ball from the throw in. Another Scarlets penalty for not releasing (getting to be a bit of a theme here) and another which this time Stephen Jones kicked from just inside his own half. After 23 minutes 14-10. Not so good.

Following another scrum in their own 22 (at which Scarlets were looking more & more dangerous) Scarlets' young scrum half Martin Roberts escaped on the blind side with the try line beckoning but he knocked on and Sarries were saved. The resulting scrum was just rescued by Ben Skirving but Andy Saull was penalised. Scarlets went for another scrum which Sarries just held but Scarlets were attacking the line and again knocked on when a try was there for the taking, this time their hooker Matthew Rees. Sarries cleared the resulting scrum but Scarlets were awarded a penalty, this time ? for crossing and again Jones converted. 31 minutes and 14-13. Definitely not so good.

From the restart, Jones kicked a long ball into touch deep in the Sarries half. The touch judge alleged that Dan Scarborough had taken it out (he hadn’t – I had an excellent view, it landed in touch) so instead of a lineout to Sarries back in Scarlets’ half it was an attacking lineout to Scarlets resulting in yet another Scarlets' penalty for going over the top. Sarries fans seemed to think this a bit dubious in which case justice was done as Jones put the kick wide. Sarries finished the half pressuring the Scarlets but making little progress and eventually knocking on. Again the scrum struggled and after a reset Sarries were awarded a free kick. But it was too good to last. Another penalty for not releasing was converted by Jones and Scarlets went into half time in the lead 14-16. Still it wasn’t too bad.

The half-time scoreboard seemed to agree with many of the home supporters that Sarries were not getting the rub of the green because the 6 blew off leaving the score 14-1. That’s not bad at all (or possible!)

So the second half started with both sides unchanged. Sarries were quickly awarded a penalty after the Scarlets went over the top and Ross converted from inside his own half  giving Sarries back the lead, 17-16. And the rain had stopped and the lights came on. Not bad at all. Maybe this was an omen?

From the restart Stephen Jones fell foul of the ELV’s putting the ball out having taken it into his 22. Sarries had a lineout just inside the Scarlets 22. Great opportunity! But Matt Cairns was afflicted by last year’s bug and the ball wasn’t straight. Scarlets cleared. Another chance gone. Even worse might have followed when Ross dropped the clearance which ran free towards the try line and was just kicked over the dead ball line. But Sarries had to face another 5m scrum. David Lyons tried to repeat the Scarlets' first half effort but was thwarted however Kees Meeuws took the ball over in the right hand corner and Stephen Jones kicked a good conversion. 48 minutes and 17-23. Not looking so good.

Sarries continued to be positive from the restart with excellent work from Cato again but a knock on was given to Scarlets in a melee of players (no idea how Mr Jones saw that – as one Sarries fan said “discretional refereeing?”) Cobus came on for Tom Mercey to try and shore up the scrum but this scrum led to one of the highlights of the afternoon when Mr Jones was knocked backwards and completed a perfect back-flip before alighting back on his feet again. (Eat your hearts out Starlights). Sarries were in trouble again and defending hard. Having won a line out they were again penalised for not releasing. The Scarlets line out that followed wasn’t straight and from one of their better scrums Ross & Goode interplayed well but Goode was again penalised for not releasing. (Well at least Mr Jones was predictable but Sarries really hadn’t learned to get rid of the ball quickly enough).

On 57 minutes Jackson Wray made his debut for the tiring Andy Saull (well he has had 3 games in 8 days). Almost straight away Gordon Ross looked to have conceded a try when his kick was charged down and Ceiron Thomas headed for the try line but  Mr Jones awarded Sarries a penalty instead. Another debutant – this time Hayden Smith replaced Harry Spencer. Sarries looked promising with Ches again carrying all before him in midfield but yet another knock on resulted in an attacking Scarlets scrum. The ball went out wide to Gavin Evans who was 1 on 1 with Dan Scarbrough. As Dan came in for the tackle he slipped and at the same point Evans kicked forward. Dan clattered into Evans and to howls of protest was yellow carded. Stephen Jones kicked the penalty. 17 minutes to go 17-26. Not good at all now.

And so to the much heralded substitution. Owen Farrell at 17 years 11 days became the youngest player to appear for a Premiership Team beating the record held by one Danny Cipriani (and if he does as well as Dannyboy we’re laughing). He replaced Goode at 12 (although I would rather have seen Goode move to 10 replacing the increasingly error-prone Ross at Fly Half). I remember in the last meeting between the 2 teams it was the introduction of Owen’s dad which turned the game round for Sarries but surely it was too much to hope young Owen could do the same. Yes it was although he looked promising. He’s a big lad already with plenty of confidence and a big boot. Not bad at all!

Almost straight away Franny Lee could have been over with one man to beat and the try lie beckoning but he slipped and the chance went begging. Within minutes of Dan’s departure, Mr Jones redressed the balance and sent Scarlets' Martin Roberts to the bin for deliberately slowing up play after a promising Sarries attack led by Moses. Ben Skirving took a quick tap but Mercey was held up short and eventually knocked forward. Penney replaced the rather anonymous Ed Thrower and more good work from Cato led to a Sarries penalty deep in the Scarlets 22. With time running out perhaps we should have gone for the kick and the bonus point but Moses opted to put the ball in the corner. But the ELV’s have depowered the 5m lineout and despite a promising attack there was the inevitable knock forward and a Scarlets clearance.

Mr Jones missed a Scarlets' knock forward in front of his (and my) eyes so instead of an attacking scrum the ball was hoofed deep into the Sarries half. Young Owen set off on a promising run but like others before him slipped on the wet grass. The Mighty Ches again cleared up. Not too bad.

Dan returned from the bin and yet another debutant, Alex Walker replaced Nick Lloyd [Are you sure that he didn't replace Cairns? Ed]. Another penalty went in the corner but again Cairns' [Walker's? Ed] throw wasn’t straight. Sarries collected the ball from the Scarlets' clearance and good work first from the refreshed Scarbrough then the still energetic Cato looked hopeful until Mr Jones again penalised the Boys in Black for not releasing. Not good!

Moses departed to a round of applause (and eventually man of the match) – a good performance from him – and yet another debutant arrived, Mickey Wilson.

Scarlets thought they had another try but Mr Jones saw the forward pass and put a premature end to their celebrations. In the dying minutes Cobus [Eh? Mercey returning, perhaps? Ed] replaced Nick Lloyd and Scarlets ran down the clock. There was brief hope when it looked like Penney might be through but the pass eluded him. A final flurry from Cato resulted in a forward pass to Franny Lee and that was that. All in all not too bad.

Moses and Cato looked very good, Franny Lee looks more comfortable at outside centre, Owen was promising, Skirvs looked sharp again and the young lads gave their all but my Man of the Match was the Mighty Ches who seemed to win every line out, carry every ball through the middle and single handedly power every scrum. Not bad really for an oldun.

As for the Ref, well being welsh he was on to a loser before he started. The Penalty Count was 13 to Scarlets and 10 to Sarries the difference being theirs were in kickable range. He was hot on the “not releasing” but we should have picked up on that and to our costs we didn’t. He was whistle happy and maybe Scarlets knew him better than us and played to that, (although over the past 2 seasons he has referreed them 5 times and they have lost 4 of them. Perhaps they take a while to learn too!) On a wet day maybe we should have looked at our studs – at least 3 try opportunities went begging because of slips not to mention Dan’s binning.

So it looks like we won’t be worrying about the EDF this year along with most of the Guinness Premiership Teams (funny how all 4 welsh sides won). Probably not a bad thing as trying to compete in 3 competitions last year left us with nothing (although it was a lot of fun). Presumably the Boys in Black will gain more experience in the next 2 rounds (and why not) and next week’s team will be more familiar as we have to treat the Parker Pen more seriously. Nevertheless I, like most of the people I spoke to, was proud of the Boys in Black today. They stood up to an almost full-strength Scarlets team with 13 internationals and given a bit of luck (and longer studs) could have won. It wasn’t so bad afterall.

 Picture Credit: Phill Fez

Referee: J. Jones (WRU)

Attendance 6,068

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