Scarlets took to the field like a team which was possessed and it took just three minutes for the former Cheetah, Uzair Cassiem, to open the scoring.

Further tries by Johnny McNicholl, Kieran Fonitia and Josh MacLeod saw Scarlets race to a 28-0 lead with just 19 minutes on the clock.

In the 23rd minute, McNicholl was sin-binned for cynical play, and the Cheetahs used the one-man advantage to try and turn the tides.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who linked up with the team this week after completing his concussion protocol, crashed over for the Cheetahs' first try in the 28th minute. Scarlets can count themselves very lucky not to receive a second yellow card after a player dived on Janse van Rensburg after he had scored the try.

Some neat football skills by the big flanker, Abongile Nonkontwana, led to the 11th try of the season by Rabz Maxwane on the stroke of half-time, to see the match at 28-14 in favour of the hosts at the break.

The prop Wyn Jones opened the scoring in the second stanza, however, this try should not have been awarded as a pass in the lead-up to the score sailed about five metres forward.

Gerhard Olivier crashed over for the Cheetahs in the 53rd minute, but this is where the scoring ended for the team from South Africa.

Leigh Halfpenny, who was making his long awaited return from injury, added a penalty to the scoreboard, and a further try against the run of play by Paul Asquith was too much for the shell-shocked Cheetahs to cope with.

The Cheetahs have another tough match to complete their tour when they face the champions, Leinster, on Friday at the RDS Arena in Dublin.

Scorers:

Scarlets: Tries – Uzair Cassiem, Johnny McNicholl, Kieron Fonotia, Josh MacLeoad, Wyn Jones, Paul Asquith Conv. – Dan Jones 1, Leigh Halfpenny 4 Pen. – Halfpenny 1 Yellow Card – Johnny McNicholl (23rd)

Cheetahs: Tries – Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Rabz Maxwane, Gerhard Olivier Conv. – Tian Schoeman 3.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport