Scarlets denied in final minutes

■ By SIMON THOMAS

Benetton ……..20

Scarlets ……….20

THE Scarlets were denied a memorable victory at the death out in Treviso, but came away with a draw as Benetton’s Jacob Umaga missed a conversion a minute from time.

It looked as though the visitors had taken an early lead when their wing recruit from New Zealand, Blair Murray, raced over after Vaea Fifita had burst away from halfway, but it was deemed No.8 Fifita had a foot in front of the ball when he picked up at a ruck, so the try was disallowed.

The deadlock was broken by the hosts on 21 minutes. After hammering away at the line through their forwards, they moved the ball left for Fijian wing Onisi Ratave to dive in at the corner.

Having delivered the scoring pass in that move, full-back Rhyno Smith then notched a try himself after strong carries from flanker Manuel Zuliani and prop Mirco Spagnolo.

The Scarlets had the final word in the half as teenage centre Macs Page produced a superb individual effort. Receiving the ball in midfield from a scrum, he broke a tackle, stepped inside one defender and held off two others to score under the posts, with Ioan Lloyd converting to cut the deficit to 12-7.

Benetton claimed the first points of the second half through a twice taken penalty from Umaga, but the visitors swiftly responded as South African flanker Jarrod Taylor broke away from a lineout maul to touch down.

Lloyd converted and then slotted two penalties to put his team in front ahead Ratave crossing for his second try after incessant pressure, with Umaga off target from out wide.