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Scarlets defeated in Powergen Cup finale
9 April 2006, 6:00 pm
By Graham Jenkins
Llanelli Scarlets' hopes of securing the inaugural Powergen Anglo-Welsh Cup were extinguished on Sunday as they were defeated 26-10 by Guinness Premiership side London Wasps in the Twickenham finale.
Hopes of a Welsh triumph were high when the Scarlets, bolstered by a large travelling support amongst a crowd of 57,000, took the early initiative with a superb individual effort from Barry Davies.

However England winger Tom Voyce grabbed a brace of tries tries while fullback Mark Van Gisbergen weighed in with 13 points with his boot to power Wasps to victory.

However the game was overshadowed by two serious injuries to Wasps flanker Johnny O'Connor and Llanelli captain Simon Easterby - who were stretchered from the field with suspected neck and cheekbone injuries respectively.

O'Connor was taken to hospital for a precautionary scan after crashing head-first into a tackle from Alix Popham with less than a minute on the clock while Easterby was caught in the face by Van Gisbergen's shoulder and was temporarily knocked unconscious.

``It was a lost opportunity. There were 17 points in that first half for us, and we ended up going in 10-10 at half-time,'' said director of rugby Gareth Jenkins.

``Wasps scored a good try at the beginning of the second half, and the weather then became a major factor. It was nearly impossible to play `catch-up' rugby.

``They turned the screw and in the end they deserved to win. But if we had scored 17 points in that first half I wonder whether Wasps could have played `catch-up' rugby more effectively than us.''

London Wasps: 26 (10)
Tries: Voyce (2)
Con: Van Gisbergen (2)
Pen: Van Gisbergen (3)
DG: King

Llanelli Scarlets: 10 (10)
Try: Davies
Con: Hercus
Pen: Hercus

All Pictures: ©  http://www.inpho.ie/, Huw Evans Agency,  Martin Stuart
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