United Rugby Championship

Scarlets (12) 15

Tries: Roberts, Murray Cons: Anscombe Pens: Hawkins

Cardiff (14) 21

Tries: D Thomas, Basham, E Lloyd Cons: Sheedy 2, Evans

Cardiff triumphed in the first United Rugby Championship (URC) Welsh derby of the season by beating Scarlets in Llanelli.

Tries from flanker Dan Thomas, player-of-the-match Taine Basham and replacement hooker Evan Lloyd helped seal the victory, with all three tries coming from effective attacking driving line-outs.

Scarlets scored first-half tries through centre Joe Roberts and full-back Blair Murray but could only manage a second-half penalty from Joe Hawkins.

Wales centre Eddie James starred for Scarlets, but he could not inspire a home victory.

It was a match played in front of a crowd of 7,073 after kicking off at the unfriendly time of quarter to eight on a Saturday evening.

Cardiff, who finished sixth last season and were the only Welsh team to reach the play-offs, were without injured Wales wing Josh Adams but gave debuts to summer signings former Australia prop Scott Sio and Namibia centre Le Roux Malan.

Scarlets, who were 14th in the 2025-26 campaign with only Dragons and Zebre below them, were missing injured number eights Fletcher Anderson and Taine Plumtree, and Wales fly-half Sam Costelow.

Wales props Corey Domachowski and Kemsley Mathias were also absent, as the hosts were led out by vice-captain Ryan Elias, who was making his 200th appearance.

It was the hosts who drew first blood with a superb break from scrum-half Dane Blacker and a neat offload from flanker Sam Lousi releasing Roberts.

Cardiff struck back with a more methodical try as flanker Thomas was driven over from an effective maul.

Scarlets again demonstrated why they looked more dangerous in possession during the first half when Murray scored a fine individual try after being expertly put through a gap by centre James, who showed the deft side in his armoury alongside the power game.

James has been employed as an outside centre by national head coach Steve Tandy but proved against Cardiff why he is a more natural inside centre with his powerful ball-carrying display.

Cardiff defence coach Gethin Jenkins would have been unimpressed by the effortless manner in which Murray glided through the visitors’ defence.

Cardiff did not panic, though, and Basham powered over as the visitors led 14-12 at half-time.

In the early second-half exchanges, Murray again showed his threat as a runner, while fly-half Callum Sheedy almost created a chance for Cardiff by cheekily heading the ball after following up his kick.

Sheedy’s opposite number Gareth Anscombe had made his competitive debut before he was replaced early in the second half by Joe Hawkins, who made an immediate impression by slotting over a penalty for Scarlets to regain the lead.

Another Wales fly-half, Jarrod Evans, who returned to Cardiff from Harlequins, was introduced among a raft of replacements that included Wales flanker James Botham with the bench proving crucial in the second-half success.

After a lovely sunny day in Llanelli, both sides were treated to driving rain before Scarlets wing Ellis Mee lifted the home crowd by forcing a penalty with an effective tackle and jackal.

Murray’s pinpoint kick almost set up an encouraging attacking platform for Scarlets but was deemed to have gone out on the full after hitting the touchline, with referee Adam Jones consulting the television match official (TMO).

This proved a pivotal moment because Cardiff were handed an offensive position and made no mistake with replacement hooker Lloyd diving over.

Evans converted before missing a long-range penalty that would have taken Cardiff two scores clear.

Another James burst gave Scarlets hope before an important turnover from Lloyd stopped the home attack and halted any hopes of a dramatic home revival.

Scarlets: Murray; Mee, J Roberts, E James, Page; Anscombe, Blacker; S O’Connor, Elias, Henry Thomas, W Evans, Cuckson, Lousi, Macleod (capt), O Williams.

Replacements: McKee, J Morse, Hawley, Groves, T Davies, Hughes, Hawkins, I Jones.

Cardiff: Winnett; Beetham, Malan, B Thomas, Grady; Sheedy, Mulder; Sio, Belcher (capt), Sebastian, McNally, T Williams, Mann, D Thomas, Basham.

Replacements: E Lloyd, Barratt, Wainwright, Thornton, Botham, Bevan, J Evans, Millard.

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)

Assistant referees: Carwyn Sion (WRU), Lloyd Edwards (WRU)

TMO: Keith David (WRU).