As an exercise in getting ready for the new Celtic Cup competition next month it was a great run out for both sets of players and coaches, with Blues head coach Richie Rees left with mixed emotions after seeing his young side race into a 19-0 lead at Cardiff Met’s Cyncoed ground.
“The result always matters, but I think particularly as it was a friendly, with two big squads there, both rolling out a lot of 18-year-olds, the most important thing was about trying to expose them to that level of rugby,” explained Rees, just back from helping to coach Wales Under 18 in South Africa.
“The burning goal is to get bigger strength in depth and even if we bring in six 18-year-olds, and three of them come through long-term in the top end of the game, then that’s a success. I thought few of the boys stood up well.
“Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn, when they came on in the second-half, were lively. It’s a shame Dane Blacker went off with a knock, but it’s all about giving boys opportunities.
“Keiron Assiratti and Rhys Carre did well. Rhys had some big moments in his carries, as he always does, Alun Lawrence the skipper was lively and these are the guys we need to stand up and drive this.”
Lawrence opened the scoring with a pushover try and then Blacker sniped over from close range. Centre Cameron Lewis then added a third try to catapult the home side into a handy lead.
But the Scarlets responded with three quickfire tries of their own to level matters at half-time as full-back Tommy Rogers sliced through, former Wales Under 20 Grand Slam skipper Tom Phillips broke clear wide out and then prop Kemsley Mathias powered over off the back of a line-out drive.
Ethan Davies kicked a penalty to finally edge the resurgent Scarlets ahead and then replacement Joe Miles crossed in the corner to seal the win. Lawrence bagged a late consolation for the Blues.
The Blues kick off their Celtic Cup campaign at the Dragons on 7 September, with the Scarlets heading to the Ospreys.
Scorers: Cardiff Blues ‘A’: Tries: A Lawrence 2, D Blacker, C Lewis; Cons: B Jones 2
Scarlets ‘A’: Tries: T Rogers, T Phillips, K Mathias, J Miles; Cons: E Davies 3; Pen: E Davies
Cardiff Blues A: Dan Fish; Morgan Griffiths, Harri Millard, Cam Lewis, Tom James; Ben Jones, Dane Blacker; Rhys Carre, Liam Belcher, Keiron Assiratti, James Down, Callum Bradbury, Cai Devine, Macauley Cook, Alun Lawrence (captain)
Reps: Corey Domachowski, Iestyn Harris, Will Davies King, Teddy Williams, Ioan Rhys Davies, Jamie Hill, Alex Varney, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Dafydd Smith, Aled Summerhill, George Thomas
Scarlets A: Tommy Rogers; Harri Doel, Corey Baldwin, Ioan Nicholas, Ryan Conbeer; Ethan Davies, Declan Smith; Rhys Fawcett, Taylor Davies, Kemsley Mathias, Josh Helps, Tom Price (captain), Shaun Evans, Dan Davis, Tom Phillips
Reps: Torin Myhill, Jamie Hughes, Berian Watkins, Chris Long, Iestyn Rees, Dafydd Land, Osian Knott, Joe Roberts, Joe Miles
