Scarlets complete 29-17 win over La Rochelle to make it to European Champions Cup semi-final

Scarlets 29-17 La Rochelle, Parc y Scarlets
Scorecard

Leigh Halfpenny contributed with 19 points as Scarlets completed a 29-17 win over La Rochelle at Parc y Scarlets to book a berth in the semi-final of the European Champions Cup.

This is the first time since 2007, Scarlets have reached a semi-final of a European Rugby tournament and will face either Saracens or Leinster in the penultimate round.

Halfpenny kicked four penalties in the first 25 minutes for Scarlets that remained their only points in the first half.

Uini Atonio led response from La Rochelle with a powerful charge as lock Romain Sazy touched down in the eighth minute. Following lengthy deliberations between referee Luke Pearce and television match official David Grashoff, a try was awarded.

Bales slotted the conversion and at the stroke of half time also kicked his first penalty as the first half ended with Scarlets having a slender 12-10 lead.

Halfpenny restored Scarlets' five point lead with his fifth penalty that came at the start of the second half and the gap widened further when Hadleigh Parkes breached La Rochelle's defence that saw Dan Jones sending a long pass to allow Rhys Patchell cross over. Halfpenny's conversion made it 22-10.

Scarlets had a setback when Will Boyde was sin-binned in the 79th minute but that made no difference as Scott Williams dived past the line in the 75th minute to make it 29-10. A desperate last minute try from replacement Pierre Boudehent saw La Rochelle reduce the losing margin to 12 points.