Scarlets 32-10 Sharks: Steff Evans crosses twice as Scarlets down Springbok-heavy Sharks

Two tries from Steff Evans and the unerring boot of Sam Costelow helped the Scarlets to a crucial win over a Springbok-laden Sharks side in Llanelli.

After both Cardiff and Ospreys won this weekend, Dwayne Peel's side knew that they needed a victory to keep up their hopes of winning the Welsh Shield and securing Champions Cup rugby in the process.

That was never going to be easy though, with the Sharks rocking up to Llanelli with a side filled with Springboks.

But scores in either half from winger Evans, as well as a 22-point haul from Costelow, produced easily their best result of the season at a time when they needed it most.

The Scarlets started strongly, with Johnny Williams - making his first start since October - continually proving difficult for the Sharks' midfield to stop. The Welsh centre has been unfortunate with injuries, but he was the heartbeat of this victory - with a recall to Warren Gatland's side on the cards after this performance.

Equally superlative were Sam Lousi and captain Josh Macleod. Peel's side perhaps should have opened the scoring earlier, with wing Evans nearly finishing a breakaway from near his own line five minutes into the match.

But when their opening score did come, it did so in traditional Scarlets' fashion. Getting outside the Sharks defence to break from their own half off first-phase, fly-half Costelow took offload back from Sam Lousi before floating a pass out to Vaea Fifita.

The second-row marched into the space, before giving the try-scoring pass back inside for Evans to cross after 10 minutes.

Williams' strong carrying continued to provide the platform, with two huge busts from scrums milking penalties that Costelow stroked over to build a 13-point lead.

However, the tide