Rugby Union: Stephens casts spell on ragged Bridgend

Llanelli. . .53

Bridgend. . .15

Llanelli maintained their scorching start to the race for the League title with a high-scoring blitz against Bridgend yesterday.

After seven tries in their opening game last week the Scarlets stepped up the pace with a further eight yesterday on their first League run-out at Stradey Park. And they triumphed comprehensively, while appearing to be cruising, always with another gear in reserve, against a Bridgend side that did not play badly.

The usual Llanelli stars performed well without ever really sparkling: the flanker Emyr Lewis bulldozed through in his accustomed manner; Rupert Moon, the scrum-half, flitted about the base of the scrum; the lock Tony Copsey was as solid in the tight and loose as he was last season. The Scarlets' outside-half, Colin Stephens, was the linchpin around which their effort turned. He controlled superbly, choosing when to find safe touch and when to let his backs loose at the hint of a gap.

Above all, Llanelli performed the basics well: passes went to hand, backs ran straight, loose balls were won, and everybody tackled without fail. Even when Bridgend managed to cross their line, the intruders were not allowed actually to score, being instead held up until Scarlet reinforcements arrived and the ball could be cleared.

Llanelli ran up 15 points in the first 15 minutes and the game seemed to snooze in the summer sun. Two errors by the Bridgend full-back Chris Bradshaw - one forced by pressure, the other completely unforced - let the Scarlets take the initiative. First, Bradshaw failed to catch a high ball that reached him along with the Llanelli pack. Iwan Jones, the light but quicksilver flanker, gathered the ball in the loose to scramble over. Five minutes later the Bridgend full-back fumbled a ball he should have had ample time to control. From the five-yard scrum, Stephens jinked through.

With a cricket score staring them in the face, Bridgend bucked up. Sustained pressure kept them entrenched on the Scarlet line, and their scrum-half, Robert Howley, slid through from the base of a scrum. Howley's try provoked a Llanelli backlash. The Scarlets put the pressure up a ratchet and their full-back Ian Jones crossed just before the half- time whistle.

As the second half progressed, Llanelli started to run Bridgend ragged. Fitness told, with the home side remaining coherent throughout, and committing few errors.

Llanelli looked a league above Bridgend by the end. It all might make Swansea, last season's winners, start to worry about their grip on the title.

Llanelli: I Jones; I Evans, N Davies, N Boobyer, W Proctor; C Stephens, R Moon (capt); R Evans, A Lamerton, D Joseph, G Jones, A Copsey, E Lewis, M Perego (L Jones, 81 min), I Jones.

Bridgend: C Bradshaw (H Lewis, 64 min); G Webbe, J Apsee, M Jones, I ap Dafydd; M Lewis, R Howley; D Rees, S Jones, R Shaw, N Spender, G Prosser, O Lloyd, D Jones, D Bryant, capt (P Yardley, 49 min).

Referee: W D Bevan (Fardre).

Scores: Stephens (drop, 9 min) 3-0, Iwan Jones (try, 10 min) 8-0, Stephens (try/conv, 15 min)

15-0, Howley (try, 33 min) 15-5, Ian Jones (try, 39 min) 20-5, Howley (pen, 43 min) 20-8, Evans/Stephens (try/conv, 48 min) 27-8, Moon/Stephens (try/conv, 51 min) 34-8, Boobyer (try, 57 min) 39-8, Lloyd/Howley (try/conv, 60 min) 39-15, Ian Jones/Stephens (try/conv, 69 min) 46-15, Ian Jones/Stephens (try/conv, 73 min) 53-15.