Scarlets (16) 16
Tries: King Con: S Jones Pens: S Jones 2 Drop-goal: S Jones
Cardiff Blues 39
Tries: Roberts 2, D Jones, Filise, Rees Con: Blair 4 Pens: Blair 2

Blues' Jamie Roberts scores his second try at Parc y Scarlets

The Scarlets' hopes of making next season's Heineken Cup via the Magners League were crushed as Cardiff Blues secured their place in the tournament.

The west Wales region must now rely on the Blues to secure a fourth Welsh place in Europe's top flight by winning this season's Amlin Challenge Cup.

Wasps stand in the Blues way in the semi-final on 1 May, a game in which they will be buoyed by this win.

Jamie Roberts scored two of the Blues' five tries to Regan King's early score.

The hosts had the start they wanted when Stephen Jones sent King haring through the visiting defence off a line-out on the Blues' 22 for the Scarlets' fly-half to convert.

606: DEBATE Scarlets are currently low par whipping boys in almost every competition Knowsit17

Moments earlier King's fellow New Zealander Casey Laulala had a similar opportunity, but whereas the Scarlet had clear space in which to run, his Blues' rival went solo with support outside and the chance was gone.

But Laulala went on to produce a Man-of-the-Match display full of inventive, attacking guile.

Blair struck for the Blues with his first penalty after 15 minutes and five minutes later they went ahead, Laulala this time perfectly timing the pass that sent Roberts over at the corner for the full-back to convert.

The Blues' lead was short-lived as Jones stepped up to kick a penalty and after 30 minutes the Wales and British and Irish Lion dropped a goal to put his side back into the lead.

Jones added a fourth successful kick of the half, but only after the Blues again briefly enjoyed the lead, lock Deiniol Jones celebrating his record 117th Magners League appearance with a close-range charge to the line.

With the Scarlets leading 16-15 at the break, a tight second period could have been expected.

But the Blues struck in devastating fashion on the restart, Tongan prop Taufa'au Filise bursting clear two minutes into the second period for Blair to convert.

Seven minutes later the Scarlets suffered an even bigger blow as Blues flanker Martyn Williams snaffled possession near the visitors' 22 and Ceri Sweeney launched a thrilling counter-attack.

The move continued with Xavier Rush twice handling amid an passing exchange with Leigh Halfpenny before releasing Roberts on a 35-metre run-in.

Blair again converted and when Chris Czekaj broke free before Roberts arrived to send scrum-half Rees away the Scarlets' task looked insurmountable.

Blair's superb conversion from the touchline did nothing to lift the home fans' gloom as they contemplated the strong possibility of playing in the Amlin Challenge Cup next season.

Kiwi Blair added a second penalty with three minutes remaining to complete the scoring.

Scarlets boss Nigel Davies:
"It's exactly what we didn't want. All credit to the Blues. I thought in the second half they upped their game and we couldn't really manage them. They played with width, they offloaded well and they kept the ball for large periods and we just couldn't get in the game.

Scarlets 16-39 Blues: Highlights & analysis

"On the odd occasion when we did get the ball we ended up turning it over and we just didn't have a game to build on.

"I thought the first half was evenly matched. We worked hard to get to that stage, but in the second half they upped it a level and we couldn't live with them."

Blues boss Dai Young:
"Second half we changed gear and a lot of things that weren't sticking and going to plan first half started to happen for us in the second half.

"We've played some great stuff in the last month and we've had a little bit of pressure on us, no different to any other Welsh region.

"It's important for all of us to be in the Heineken Cup so there's a little bit of pressure off now and we've got to enjoy that.

Scarlets: Evans; Lamont, King, J Davies, Fenby; S Jones, Knoyle; John, Owens, R. Thomas, Reed, Day, Turnbull, Pugh, Lyons (capt).
Replacements: Priestland for S Jones (76), Roberts for Knoyle (50), Manu for R Thomas (54), Welch for Reed (54), McCusker for Turnbull (66), Phillips for Pugh (67).
Not Used: L Williams.

Cardiff Blues: Blair; Halfpenny, Laulala, Roberts, Czekaj; Sweeney, Rees; Jenkins, G Williams, Filise, Jones, Tito (capt), Molitika, M Williams, Rush.
Replacements: Flanagan for Sweeney (70), L Williams for Rees (66), Thomas for G Williams (66), Pretorius for Jones (68), Warburton for M Williams (66), Yapp for Jenkins (66), Hewitt for Roberts (68).

Att: 10,171

Ref: Nigel Owens (WRU).

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