A disastrous error from Steff Evans proved costly as the Scarlets suffered a last-gasp 24-23 defeat against the Lions in Llanelli.

The Welsh side looked set to win but two minutes from time Evans went ahead with a free kick inside his own box and was cleared to give the visitors the winning score. The Scarlets took their first lead thanks to a try from wing Tom Rogers, which was converted by flyhalf Ioan Lloyd.

Lloyd also scored a penalty, but the Lions responded when center Marius Louw crossed to midfield Sanele Nohamba to convert and make the score 10-7 at half-time. At the start of the second half, the Scarlets extended their lead thanks to another Lloyd penalty.

But the Lions’ pack began to show their strength and a point-blank shot from PJ Botha, knocked down by Nohamba in the 53rd minute, allowed them to take a 14-13 lead. However, the lead only lasted three minutes when Lloyd’s third penalty of the night restored the Scarlets’ lead.

With 12 minutes to go, the home team struck the decisive blow when a strong tackle inside the Lions’ 22-yard line sent Ryan Elias through. Welsh hooker Elias made his first appearance in a Scarlets shirt for nearly a year and Lloyd converted his effort to give them a decisive two-goal lead 23-14.

With six minutes remaining in the game, the Lions came within a goal when Nohamba converted a penalty. And the visitors were given a gift two minutes later when Steff Evans fired a shot that found Hanko van Wyk with ease against the posts.

Nokhamba converted under the posts to put the Lions ahead by a score of 24-23.