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Wales centre Scott Williams made a stunning try-scoring man-of-the-match return against the Newport Gwent Dragons in the second part of Judgement Day IV.

Wayne Pivac’s men confirmed their Champions Cup qualification and kept alive their Guinness Pro12 play-off hopes alive with a bonus point win over Kingsley Jones’ side as Steve Shingler contributed 19 points.

The second showdown of the double-header might not have been as entertaining as the opening encounter but it represented job done for the Scarlets and demonstrated west was best in Cardiff on this occasion.

The Parc y Scarlets outfit had started the game knowing they needed just a point to confirm a place in the European elite tournament next season following the Ospreys’ bonus point win over the Cardiff Blues.

(Image: Getty Images)

Recap:

Fourth-placed Ulster had defeated Leinster 30-6 to go to 64 points, while the Scarlets responded with this vital victory and are now just a point behind the Belfast-based outfit with 63.

The Scarlets are away at Munster next Saturday in Limerick, while Ulster will be playing the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium at the same time with all games kicking off at the same time.

Both west Wales outfits will be hoping their fellow regions can defeat the Irish provinces with the Ospreys chasing Champions Cup promotion and the Scarlets eyeing that top four play-off position.

For the Dragons, it was another league game where they finished with nothing despite another powerful performance by Wales and Lions star Taulupe Faletau. The Gwent region continue to languish in 10th place with only four league wins in 21 games.

(Image: Getty Images)

Analysis:

Wales star Williams made his long-awaited welcome return to action. The 34-cap centre had been sidelined since suffering serious knee ligament damage in the famous World Cup victory over England at Twickenham in September.

But now, after lengthy rehab and recovery, he was back for his first regional outing of the season, having passed a fitness test.

Coach Wayne Pivac made a further five alterations to the back-line in the wake of the heavy home defeat to Glasgow.

Aled Davies replaced Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies at No 9, while Liam Williams switched to the wing as Michael Collins came in at full-back, with Steff Evans and Hadleigh Parkes also moving positions.

Lewis Rawlins was the only change to the pack, stepping in on the blindside flank for his first appearance since late January.

The Dragons made three changes, all in the backs, to the team that lost the Challenge Cup semi-final against Montpellier last weekend.

Watch: The players run out for JD matches

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Tyler Morgan missed out after picking up an ankle injury during training this week, so Jack Dixon started in the centre, while Angus O’Brien and Charlie Davies got the nod over Dorian Jones and Sarel Pretorius at half-back.

The Dragons actually made the more encouraging start in the first eight minutes as centre Adam Warren made an early burst against his former region.

The Warren family are enjoying a Bank Holiday Principality Stadium bonanza with brother Aaron playing for Llandovery in the Swalec Cup final on Sunday and their home village club Burry Port in the Bowl.

But it was the returning Williams who enjoyed the fairytale return when he opened the scoring in the ninth minute with Shingler converting as the west Wales region scored with their first attacking movement.

The Dragons also suffered a double whammy when they lost flanker Nic Cudd with a head injury after he was injured attempting to tackle Hadleigh Parkes.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Williams made another lung-busting burst which eventually ended in the Scarlets second try for Shingler which he also converted.

The Scarlets were rampant and only denied a third try when flanker James Davies produced a careless forward pass to wing Steff Evans.

The Dragons were under the cosh but the men of Gwent responded thanks Shingler’s kick being charged down and hacked on by South African second-row Rynard Landman in his 50th start for the region.

The outstanding Wales No.8 Taulupe Faletau was more dynamic in the chase than Shingler and Liam Williams’ attempted one-hand kick just looped up into the arms of Warren and O’Brien converted.

Shingler and O’Brien traded two penalties each as Wales prop Samson Lee left the field because of a head injury.

His replacement Peter Edwards was yellow-carded by referee Ben Whitehouse for a no-arms tackle on Dragons full-back Carl Meyer. Loosehead prop Dylan Evans came on as a temporary replacement where there was passive scrums until Edwards returned with the Scarlets leading 20-13 at the break.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

The Scarlets started the second-half with 14 men in a shocking period littered with mistakes before Shingler and Scott Williams rose above the mediocrity to create a flowing counter-attacking try for Steff Evans.

The Scarlets were restored to 15 men as they won the period 7-0 when they were a man down.

But the indiscipline of Pivac’s men when Gareth Owen took out Hallam Amos in the air which could have resulted in yellow.

Scarlets back-rowers John Barclay and James Davies turned over Dragons possession before Scott Williams was replaced just after the hour as the match meandered.

Shingler continued his mixed bag with a poor clearance kick straight to Meyer which allowed the full-back to expertly create a try for wing Adam Hughes.

(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies came on to gain the crucial bonus point try with a trademark score which Shingler converted and the game petered out.

There was a nice touch at the end as former Wales wing Harry Robinson, who this week announced his retirement aged just 23 because of a neck injury, was clapped off the field by players, coaches and supporters.

Newport Gwent Dragons: C Meyer, A Hughes, A Warren, J Dixon, H Amos, A O’Brien, C Davies (S Pretorius 55); P Price (L Garrett 72), E Dee (R Buckley 72), B Harris (L Fairbrother 72), R Landman (M Screech 62), N Crosswell, L Evans (capt), T Faletau. N Cudd (E Jackson 10).

Tries - A Warren, A Hughes; Conversions - A O’Brien (2); Penalties - A O’Brien (2).

Scarlets: M Collins (G Owen 23); L Williams, H Parkes, S Williams (A Thomas 62), S Evans; S Shingler, A Davies (G Davies 62); R Evans (D Evans 70), K Owens (capt), S Lee (P Edwards 31), J Ball, D Bulbring (M Allen 65), L Rawlins, J Barclay (D Evans 39-47, J Condy 76), J Davies.

Tries : S Williams, S Shingler, S Evans, G Davies; Conversions - S Shingler (4); Penalties - S Shingler (2).

Yellow card - Peter Edwards 37

Referee : Ben Whitehouse (WRU).