Blair Murray shines on return as Scarlets claim bonus-point win over Dragons

Blair Murray marked his return with a brace of tries as Scarlets secured a 32-15 bonus-point win over Dragons in Llanelli in the United Rugby Championship.

The Wales international had been missing for a month due to first a head injury and then a hamstring problem but crossed twice inside 15 minutes as Scarlets snapped a two-game losing run.

Josh Macleod and Ellis Mee also scored tries for Scarlets, with Sam Costelow adding three conversions and a penalty and Ioan Lloyd landing a late penalty.

Taine Basham and Huw Anderson grabbed Dragons’ two tries, with Angus O’Brien kicking a penalty and a conversion, as they suffered an eighth successive defeat in the competition.

Murray needed just seven minutes to make an impact as he raced in under the posts following a flowing team move with Scarlets having picked up the loose ball midway inside their own half, Costelow adding two more.

Costelow and O’Brien traded penalties before Murray went over again for another converted try, this time in the corner after Scarlets had shifted the ball from right to left.

Marnus van der Merwe and Macleod were denied in quick succession by some last-ditch Dragons defending as the game approached the half-hour mark.

But Macleod was not to be stopped moments later when he crashed over following a close-range line-out, with Costelow again adding the extras to make it 24-3 at half-time.

Mee ensured the bonus point when his try was confirmed after a TMO check for the ball going forward before Basham got Dragons’ opening try, which O’Brien converted.

Taine Plumtree was then sent to the sin bin for Scarlets and Dragons capitalised as Anderson went over after exchanging passes with Che Hope but O’Brien missed with his conversion attempt.

Replacement Lloyd kicked a late penalty for Scarlets as he moved back to the top of the leading point-scoring charts.