By David Williams

The Scarlets had victory snatched away for them at the death as they fell to a 17-16 defeat in the first round of the EPCR Challenge Cup in Bayonne.

It looked as though the visitors could be heading home with a win under their belts when Ioan Lloyd struck a long-range penalty to edge his side ahead 16-14 with six minutes left to play.

Three minutes later the Scarlets coughed up a penalty and replacement Joris Segonds became the hero with a penalty that won the game for his side.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “That’s a second week in a row that we’ve had that frustration at the end.

“It was a huge effort and we got ourselves ahead so it’s really disappointing to give away that late penalty.

“A bonus point could be important at the end of the pool stage but we know it should have been a lot more.”

Ellis Mee with something special in defence
Shaun Evans over at the end of the half

Ellis Mee yn achub ar yr un ochr a Shaun Evans yn croesi ar yr ochr arall#ABvSCA #ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/HaGkFQhQsg

— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) December 7, 2024

Bayonne assistant coach Nick Abendanon said: “We started well with the two tries but we didn’t control things well to keep them under pressure.

“We got into the score zone so many times and didn’t convert those chances and let them back into the game.

“We got a bit lucky with the late penalty but we’re happy with the win.”

Bayonne looked as though they might run away with the game in the early stages as they responded to an early Lloyd penalty by scoring two tries from flanker Rodrigo Bruni and skipper Camille Lopez. Lopez converted them both.

The Scarlets had been led out by Ioan Nicholas as he celebrated his 100th game for the region and he saw his side reduce the deficit to a single point on the cusp of half-time when the outstanding Shaun Evans drove over for a try that Lloyd converted.

️ Match report from the South of France as Scarlets denied victory by late Bayonne penalty

Adroddiad o’r gêm yn Ne Ffrainc wrth i Bayonne cipio’r buddugoliaeth yn y munudau olaf

https://t.co/f7w9fnC92h#ABvSCA #ChallengeCupRugby #YmaOHyd pic.twitter.com/dKVDA8TDnq

— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) December 7, 2024

Bayonne kept on applying pressure as Scarlets were forced into a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort that saw them that saw Vaea Fifita produced a couple of crucial defensive line-out steals. It was gritty stuff as they managed to keep the French side scoreless for all bar four minutes of a tense second half.

Bayonne had a possible third try chalked off by the TMO before Lloyd landed his 74th minute penalty to make it 16-14. Then came the late drama when Italian referee Gianluca Gnecchi overturned a penalty decision for an off-the-ball push which allowed Segonds to step up to and become the hero with his late penalty to win the game.

The Scarlets did at least leave Stade Jean Dauger with a losing bonus-point.