There were wins for Scarlets and Ospreys, but defeats for Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons.
Dwayne Peel’s first game as Scarlets head coach ended in a romp against English Championship side Nottingham as Ryan Conbeer stated an early claim with a pre-season hat-trick.
A 55-21 victory showcased the attacking rugby former Wales scrum-half Peel wants to bring to Llanelli and if the rest of his tenure is like this, Scarlets fans should have some fun.
Conbeer’s treble was the headline, but there was also a stunning two-try display from young scrum-half Archie Hughes while wing Steffan Evans grabbed a brace too.
“It was great for everyone to have our first match at home and for the fans to be back – it’s been a long time coming and tough for the players not to have them,” said Peel.
“They saw some tries so they’ll be happy going home. It was rusty at the start and the first half wasn’t particularly great, but it was important for some of the players to taste rugby again.
“Steffan has looked great in pre-season and did some good stuff for us. It will be a different team for us against Leicester on Thursday and we are still trying to develop our style of play.
“Archie was very good, full of running, and his support lines were there.”
Ryan Conbeer scored a hat-trick for Scarlets against Nottingham
Scarlets only led 19-7 at the break thanks to scores from Corey Baldwin, Conbeer and Shaun Evans after Nottingham had crossed first.
But in the second half Peel’s men found their groove. Conbeer completed his treble and Steffan Evans looked lively.
Hughes, from Tenby, lit up the game late on and he was responsible for the game’s standout moment when he turned down what would have been a certain hat-trick.
Instead, he passed to Conbeer to complete his treble when he could surely have scored himself.
Scarlets fly-halves Dan Jones and Sam Costelow kicked the rest of the points to add to their team’s nine tries.
Nottingham fly-half Sam Hollingsworth grabbed the game’s first try and ended up with two of his own as well as three conversions. Lewis Barrett also crossed for the visitors.
It was great for everyone to have our first match at home and for the fans to be back – it’s been a long time coming and tough for the players not to have them
Dai Young’s Cardiff side got off to a flying start to their new season as they hit the newly crowned English Premiership champions Harlequins with four first-half tries at The Twickenham Stoop.
No 8 Alun Lawrence picked up two of the scores in a dominant opening 40 minutes that saw the visitors lead 21-0 and then take a 19-point lead into the interval.
They added a fifth try in the second half, but conceded seven as the home side eventually found their feet.
In a game that was a pre-cursor to the two clubs meeting for real in the Heineken Champions Cup, there were 12 tries in all with the Quins hitting back in the second half to steal a 45-33 triumph as Cardiff just ran out of steam.
Dai Young was pleased with large elements of a high-scoring pre-season defeat to Harlequins. Plenty to work on moving towards Bath and 2021-22. pic.twitter.com/lELhQoMbkJ
— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) September 4, 2021
Max Llewellyn, Jamie Hill and Lawrence crossed for the early Cardiff hat-trick, all of which Jason Tovey converted and the only reply from the Quins in the first half was a try by lock Tom Lawday that Will Edwards converted.
If Cardiff thought they were sitting pretty at 26-7 after Lawrence had grabbed his second score they were very much mistaken.
Two tries in the space of seven minutes, one inspired by Louis Lynagh and the second scored by him, enabled the Quins to cut the gap to manageable proportions thanks to two conversions from Italian international outside-half Tommy Allan.
Rhys Priestland made his Cardiff Rugby debut in their friendly with Harlequins
Young introduced an international No 10 of his own in the second half as Rhys Priestland made his debut in blue and black, but the introduction of Lynagh and Tyrone Green to the home back line for the final 40 minutes sparked new life into the Quins.
An interception try from the outstanding Garyn Smith, back in action after a five-month break after knee surgery, allowed Cardiff to steady their nerves, but Andre Esterhuizen powered over for another try that Allan improved. It meant the lead was down to a mere seven points for the visitors.
Just as they had done at Twickenham in that thrilling Premiership final defeat of Exeter Chiefs, the Quins saved their best till last and late tries from former Cardiff Met centre Luke Northmore, back-row man Jack Kenningham and then Will Trenholm clinched an entertaining victory.
Toby Booth’s Ospreys kicked off their pre-season preparations with a 49-24 success at Hartpury College as they turned around a half-time deficit to come out on top.
Jac Morgan scored on his first appearance for his new side while Dan Evans and Ifan Phillips crossed before the break as Booth’s men trailed 19-14 after the first 40.
Wholesale changes were made by both teams at the break and instantly the Ospreys seized the initiative.
Gareth Anscombe warmed up but didn’t play as the Ospreys faced Hartpury College
Flanker Morgan, who joined from the Scarlets this summer, went over before Phillips and his namesake Garwyn also crossed.
Three more tries came from Luke Morgan, Matthew Aubrey and Ethan Hunt while it was pleasing to see Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe – who hasn’t played since 2019 due to a knee injury – involved in the warm-up as he nears a comeback although he did not play.
The Dragons began their pre-season campaign with a 35-28 defeat at Leicester.
Away tries came from Richard Hibbard, Sam Davies, Lewis Jones and Jordan Olowofela who scored against his parent club after leaving Leicester on loan for Newport this week.
Fly-Half Sam Davies of Dragons tries to get past scrum-half Jack van Poortviet of Leicester Tigers
