United Rugby Championship

Stormers (33) 52

Tries: Porthen, Pead, Mchunu, Senatla, Fourie, Reid, Ahmed 2 Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 6

Scarlets (14) 40

Tries: Roberts 3, Jones, Page, Macleod Cons: Leggatt-Jones 5

Centre Joe Roberts scored a hat-trick but Scarlets suffered defeat by Stormers in a remarkable 14-try United Rugby Championship (URC) contest.

A late double by Yaqeen Ahmed sealed victory for the South Africans leaving Scarlets with just a try bonus despite having shot at a famous win at 40-40.

Unlike the UK weather, the perfect conditions for running rugby in Cape Town led to a thrilling encounter in which both sides traded blows.

Stormers led 33-14 at half-time and a try bonus through Zachary Porthen, Hasseim Pead, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Seabelo Senatla and Deon Fourie.

More efforts followed by Olly Reid and Ahmed but Scarlets showed fighting spirit and attacking flair.

Wales centre Roberts went over three times along with Ioan Jones, Josh Macleod and Macs Page, who was helped from the field after a heavy head injury.

Scarlets, who have never beaten Stormers, scrapped their way to 40-40 in the final quarter but failed to make it a hat-trick of wins after beating Benetton and Newcastle.

They now finish the first block of the season with an equally daunting fixture against Bulls in Pretoria next weekend.

Nigel Davies’ side will need to drastically improve their defence and set-piece to stand a chance of upsetting the odd at Loftus Versfeld.

Scarlets were chasing the game from early on after John Dobson’s side struck twice when hooker John McKee was yellow-carded for cynically killing the ball in the 11th minute.

Tight-head prop Porthen went over from a cunning line-out move followed by a much more dashing second, scrum-half Pead crossing from a sensational Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu offload behind his back.

The 14-man Scarlets responded well with Roberts, who missed out on Wales’ Nations Championship squad, put over down the right by wing Jones.

But that was cancelled out by rampaging loose-head Ntuthuko Mchunu powering over from loose line-out ball.

After providing an assist for the first, Jones finished magnificently down the right for Scarlets’ second but once again Stormers hit straight back.

Wing Senatla and hooker Fourie scored either side of a second Jones effort being chalked off for a forward pass for a commanding 33-14 lead.

It seemed Scarlets were already playing for a consolation bonus in a heavy loss, yet it was game on thanks to a pair of quickfire tries after the restart.

A searing break by full-back Ioan Nicholas led to in-form wing Page going over and then Roberts intercepted for the four-try bonus.

Page was then helped from the field with an oxygen mask after hitting his head heavily on the ground as he attempted to score.

Stormers turned to their tight game to regain control, earning penalties to march down the field for prop Reid to score.

Scarlets would not go away and drew level through Macleod and Roberts while the abscence of a Stormers hooker meant uncontested scrums.

Yet the hosts got their noses back in front in the 73rd minute when Ahmed was worked under the posts before he took away a Scarlets’ bonus with a late breakaway.

Stormers: Gelant; Senatla, Simelane, Muller, Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Pead; Mchunu, Venter, Porthen, Norton, Evans, de Villiers (capt), Roos, Dayimani.

Replacements: Vokozela, Reid, Fouche, Smith, Schickerling, Fourie, Reinach, Ahmed.

Scarlets: Nicholas; I Jones, J Roberts, Hawkins, Page; Leggatt-Jones, Blacker; Mathias, McKee, Harri O’Connor, Groves, Lousi, Plumtree, Macleod (capt), Anderson.

Replacements: G Roberts, S O’Connor, Hawley, Cuckson, Davis, Hughes, Anscombe, Murray-Macgregor.

Yellow card: McKee 10.

Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland).

Assistant referees: Christopher Allison & Juan de Bod (South Africa).

TMO: Eoghan Cross (Ireland).