The 21-year-old former Wales U16 and U18 international gave the on-looking new Scarlets head coach Brad Mooar plenty to think about with a sparkling performance that enabled his side to take the lead four times in a points-fest in the sun at Llandovery that eventually ended up in a 35-32 win for Ulster A.
Having reacted quicker than anyone else to race clear from a quick tap penalty to notch the first try of the game to give Scarlets A the lead for the first of four times, he burrowed over for a second before the break and then took an inside pass from the excellent Rhodri Jones to race 20 metres for his hat-trick shortly after the break.
“Efan has been excellent in training and he really stood up and19-year-old centre Osian Knott and Wales U20 flanker Jac Morgan were both excellent for us as well. I couldn’t fault the effort and we will improve tactically and technically as we go on in the tournament,” said Scarlets A head coach Richard Kelly.
“We’ve got the gold standard of A teams next week in Leinster at Donnybrook and that is going to be a huge test for us. After Jac Wilson stepped up to kick that late penalty we failed to manage the game properly in the last few minutes.
“But those sort of things give us huge opportunity for growth. If we find ourselves in that position later in the tournament we will be better at dealing with it.
“We have 17 players out on international duty from the senior group at the moment, which means a lot of the players we used in this competition have stepped up to the senior group. That shows the pathway is working.
“The knock-on effect is the consistency of our players in this tournament may occasionally be difficult, but we have still got to make the best of it. We have had great support from the Premiership clubs and it is a medal for them when they see their players playing for us and adds
“It was great seeing the senior coaches here giving the competition real credibility and it was good for them to see how the players stand up and perform.”
Rhodri Jones grabbed the other try for the Scarlets and Ioan Hughes converted three and kicked a penalty. Jac Wilson then stepped up to land a 78th minute penalty that made it 32-30 to the home side.
That kick had seemingly snatched victory from the grasp of the young Ulstermen, but they hit back with wave after wave of attacks until tight head prop Peter Cooper finally came up with the winning play to earn his side revenge for their defeat last season.
Bruce Houston laid the ground work for the Ulster win by kicking 15 points to give himself an early present ahead of his 20th birthday on Monday. No 8 Azur Allison, flanker David McCann and prop Callum Reid scored the other tries for the visitors.
Cardiff Blues A shipped seven tries as they were beaten 47-28 by Leinster A in their Celtic Cup opener at the Arms Park. Ireland U20 scrum-half Cormac Foley was the star of the show as he touched down for a hat-trick of tries.
The Blues turned around 19-0 behind at the interval with hooker Dave Sheehan, Foley and Liam Turner claiming Leinster’s tries. The Irishmen then ran riot in the second-half with Foley scoring a further two before they were awarded a penalty try courtesy of their scrum.
Jack Kelly completed Leinster’s scoring before the Blues hit back with a brace of tries from replacement hooker Cam Lewis and a try apiece from Ed Howley and Barney Nightingale.
Dragons A were edged out 24-19 by Connacht Eagles in Galway on Friday afternoon. The two teams were level at 12-12 at the break thanks to first-half Dragons tries from James McCarthy and Connor Edwards.
Rio Dyer added a third after the break and Evan Lloyd kicked two conversions. Connacht tries came from flanker Lucas Culliton and No 8 Mikey Wilson, with outside half Conor Dean kicking 14 points.
Ospreys Development notched a 20-20 draw in Munster. A second minute interception try from centre Callum Carson, converted by Josh Thomas, put the visitors ahead, but the first of three home tries, from flanker Cain Hurley, made it 7-7 at the break.
Scrum half Charlie O’Doherty gave Munster a great start of the second half when he scampered over, but Ben Cambriani hit back within five minutes to bring the Ospreys level once again.
Home skipper Jack Crowley and Thomas swapped penalties before hooker Scott Buckley struck with the third Munster try to edge them back in front. Wales Sevens star George Gasson came off the bench to secure a draw as he sped clear for his side’s third try.
