LEINSTER OPENED THE door for provincial rivals Munster to take top spot in the Pro12 as they went down 38-29 to the Scarlets.
The hosts raced into a 21-8 half-time lead thanks to tries from Jonny McNicholl, Werner Kruger and Steff Evans, with Richard Strauss crossing in reply.
But things went from bad to worse for Leo Cullen when Barry Daly’s dangerous hit on an airborne Scarlets full-back Aled Thomas earned him a red card, and allowed the hosts to go further ahead through Will Boyde and Ryan Elias.
But the 14-men rallied to get a bonus-point thanks to Adam Byrne and Tom Daly, before Andrew Porter crashed over at the death.
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Leinster were a man down and 35-8 behind midway through the second-half.
Hooker Richardt Strauss popped up out wide but fumbled into the hands of Scarlets wing Jonny McNicholl, who ran-in unopposed from 40 metres for a debut try.
It got even worse for the league leaders when Mike McCarthy was sin-binned for pulling down a maul.
And they were made to pay as the Scarlets shunted lock Kruger before flying wing Evans looked to have sewn the game up when he crashed over from close range, but Strauss handed his side a lifeline.
Noel Reid broke downfield and found Byrne in support, and the flying wing offloaded to Strauss, who dived over to make it 21-8 at half-time.
Daly was then shown a red card for taking opposing full-back Thomas out in the air.
Scarlets bagged the bonus-point moments later when Evans sliced through and found Thomas, who put no.8 Boyde over at the corner, before Elias put the game to bed.
But the 14-men of Leinster finally rallied from 35-8 down to claim a bonus point.
Byrne impressed despite tonight's loss in Wales. Craig Thomas / INPHO
Craig Thomas / INPHO / INPHO
First Byrne sliced through to score at the posts, before Ross Byrne found Daly with a delicate grubber to get Leinster back to within 13 points.
And Cullen’s men showed their character to grab a try bonus-point thanks to Porter at the death.
Scarlets scorers:
Tries: McNicholl, Kruger, Evans, Boyd, Elias
Conversians: Patchell x4
Penalties:D Jones
Cardiff scorers:
Tries: Strauss, Byrne, Daly, Porter
Conversions: Nacewa x3
Penalties: Nacewa
SCARLETS: A Thomas (G Owen 56); J McNicholl, S Hughes, H Parkes (capt), S Evans; R Patchell (D Jones 65), J Evans (A Davies 56); W Jones (D Evans 56), R Elias (E Phllips 53), W Kruger (P Edwards 55), T Price (T Beirne 56), D Bulbring (J Macleod 54), A Shingler, J Davies, W Boyde.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin (T Daly 55), N Reid, B Daly; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 46); P Dooley (A Porter 55), R Strauss (J Tracey 46), M Bent (O Heffernan 63), M McCarthy (R Moloney 55), I Nagle, D Ryan, D Leavy (P Timmins 52), J Conan (Z Kirchner 46).
Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).
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14-man Leinster rally late on to earn unlikely bonus point in thrilling encounter against Scarlets
Scarlets 38
Leinster 29
James Candy reports from Parc y Scarlets
Updated 22:40
LEINSTER OPENED THE door for provincial rivals Munster to take top spot in the Pro12 as they went down 38-29 to the Scarlets.
The hosts raced into a 21-8 half-time lead thanks to tries from Jonny McNicholl, Werner Kruger and Steff Evans, with Richard Strauss crossing in reply.
But things went from bad to worse for Leo Cullen when Barry Daly’s dangerous hit on an airborne Scarlets full-back Aled Thomas earned him a red card, and allowed the hosts to go further ahead through Will Boyde and Ryan Elias.
But the 14-men rallied to get a bonus-point thanks to Adam Byrne and Tom Daly, before Andrew Porter crashed over at the death.
Hooker Richardt Strauss popped up out wide but fumbled into the hands of Scarlets wing Jonny McNicholl, who ran-in unopposed from 40 metres for a debut try.
It got even worse for the league leaders when Mike McCarthy was sin-binned for pulling down a maul.
And they were made to pay as the Scarlets shunted lock Kruger before flying wing Evans looked to have sewn the game up when he crashed over from close range, but Strauss handed his side a lifeline.
Noel Reid broke downfield and found Byrne in support, and the flying wing offloaded to Strauss, who dived over to make it 21-8 at half-time.
Daly was then shown a red card for taking opposing full-back Thomas out in the air.
Scarlets bagged the bonus-point moments later when Evans sliced through and found Thomas, who put no.8 Boyde over at the corner, before Elias put the game to bed.
But the 14-men of Leinster finally rallied from 35-8 down to claim a bonus point.
First Byrne sliced through to score at the posts, before Ross Byrne found Daly with a delicate grubber to get Leinster back to within 13 points.
And Cullen’s men showed their character to grab a try bonus-point thanks to Porter at the death.
SCARLETS: A Thomas (G Owen 56); J McNicholl, S Hughes, H Parkes (capt), S Evans; R Patchell (D Jones 65), J Evans (A Davies 56); W Jones (D Evans 56), R Elias (E Phllips 53), W Kruger (P Edwards 55), T Price (T Beirne 56), D Bulbring (J Macleod 54), A Shingler, J Davies, W Boyde.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin (T Daly 55), N Reid, B Daly; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 46); P Dooley (A Porter 55), R Strauss (J Tracey 46), M Bent (O Heffernan 63), M McCarthy (R Moloney 55), I Nagle, D Ryan, D Leavy (P Timmins 52), J Conan (Z Kirchner 46).
Referee: S Gallagher (IRFU).
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Leinster Pro12 Rugby Scarlets try try and try again