Aironi 23 Scarlets 26

Scarlets kept their RaboDirect Pro12 season alive thanks to a narrow victory over strugglers Aironi in Italy.

Neither side headed into this match in good form. Scarlets had been defeated narrowly by Brive and Edinburgh in recent weeks, while Aironi's poor season was showing no sign of improvements following heavy defeats to Glasgow and Ulster. Points in the opening stages of the game came as the result of indiscipline from both teams. Two penalties from Rhys Priestland got the Welsh side off the mark, but Aironi responded in kind thanks to goals from Luciano Orquera and Giulio Toniolatti. The first try of the match came just before the half-hour and was scored by Scarlets. Wales international Jonathan Edwards was the man to get over the line, and Priestland's conversion, followed by a third penalty goal of the afternoon gave the visitors a 16-6 half-time lead. Scarlets deserved their lead, although Aironi at times were their own worst enemies as Orquera and Simone Favaro were both sent to the sin-bin following separate incidents. But the hosts roared back in the second half and gave Scarlets a major fright. Following the sin-binning of Josh Turnbull, Orquera booted Aironi to within seven points of their visitors and, when the influential fly-half converted a penalty try shortly after, the scores were level. Scarlets were able to regain momentum, however, and they re-took lead at the beginning of the second quarter courtesy of unconverted tries from Ben Morgan and Liam Williams. The ten-point advantage proved to be enough for the visitors, but the concession of a late Toniolatti try meant the final scoreline was a little closer than many might have predicted before the match.