Davies hits milestone as Scarlets stun Leinster

United Rugby Championship

Scarlets (22) 35

Tries: G Davies, Rogers, Plumtree, Roberts Cons: Costelow 3 Pens: Costelow, Lloyd 2

Leinster (15) 22

Tries: J Osborne, Mangan, Culhane Cons: Byrne 2 Pens: Byrne

Scarlets stunned the United Rugby Championship's runaway leaders with a first win over Leinster in almost seven years.

Gareth Davies opened the scoring in Llanelli to become the Scarlets' record league try-scorer.

Tom Rogers, man of the match Taine Plumtree and Joe Roberts then followed to clinch a shock bonus point.

Leinster's Jamie Osborne, Diarmuid Mangan and James Culhane responded, but could not prevent only a second defeat in 22 games in all competitions this season.

Victory saw Scarlets climb four places to sixth and well in the hunt for the play-offs.

Dwayne Peel had urged his side to be brave and they led 22-15 at the break after a scintillating first half.

Gareth Davies finished a break by a rampant Plumtree to open the scoring with his 55th league try to move clear of team-mate Steff Evans and go fifth in the history of the URC.

Sam Costelow returned after four months out injured and had a mixed day with the boot.

He missed two straight-forward shots at goal and was charged down for Leinster's first try from centre Osborne.

But the Wales fly-half also created a try for Rogers with a pin-point kick and scored nine points before making way for Cardiff-bound Ioan Lloyd's last home appearance.

Plumtree galloped clear again for a third before Roberts finished a break by Blair Murray for the bonus just seconds into the second half.

Leinster had rested a raft of front-line stars before next week's Champions Cup semi-final in Dublin against Northampton, but still boasted ten internationals and made in-roads up front.

Mangan and Culhane burrowed over from close range, but Leinster rarely looked themselves as Lloyd steered Scarlets to victory with a brace of penalties and left the visitors empty-handed.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: "The players were brave from the start and didn't sit back because we knew Leinster can be so dominant on the front foot.

"The players were hungry for it and they showed great character. In the last two games we had to fight our way back but this time we led all the way.

"It was a pressure game and we're delighted our future is in our own hands going to South Africa."

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: "The game slipped away from us pretty early on when you look at our discipline and the chances we gave Scarlets.

"We knew they had everything to play for but I'm disappointed that we never really pitched up for it.

"It's not a disaster but I don't like conceding 35 points and disappointing not to get anything from the game."

Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Louie Trevett, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Jarrod Taylor, Archie Hughes, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page.

Leinster: Ciarán Frawley; Andrew Osborne, Liam Turner, Jamie Osborne, Jimmy O'Brien; Ross Byrne, Fintan Gunne; Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher (captain), Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Brian Deeny, Alex Soroka, Will Connors, James Culhane.

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny, Cormac Foley, Charlie Tector, Ruben Moloney.

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Assistant referees: Matthew Leon & Aaron Perry (WRU)

TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)