Rhys Williams grabs one of his two tries

The Cardiff scrum creaked alarmingly and Lawson - in for Stephen Jones who is still suffering from back trouble - had his first chance of points from a collapsed scrum.

An inopportune slip in his run-up saw Lawson's kick sail under the bar and he scarcely had any better luck with his next attempt that bounced off a post.

Yet Cardiff continued to give away a stream of penalties and Lawson made no mistake with his next three kicks.

The visitors kept themselves in touch through a Martyn Williams try after bravely opting to kick for touch and driving over from the lineout.

Things looked bad for Cardiff as they lost first Craig Quinnell and then Lewis to injury, with John Tait and Peter Rogers getting early calls from the bench.

Sublime

Then Jenkins took over, turning Llanelli with raking kicks and adding a penalty and a drop-goal, before Nick Walne seized on a loose ball near the Llanelli line for a converted try to give the Blue and Blacks an 18-9 cushion at half-time.

Who knows what Lynn Howells said to his players at half-time but Cardiff ran riot after the break. Llanelli must also have had a team-talk from Gareth Jenkins, but it's unlikely he told his players to give up tackling.

Silesi Finau and Craig Morgan clash

Craig Morgan was in sublime form and it was from another break by the Cardiff wing that eventually saw Rhys Williams flop over the line. Two minutes later the fullback did it again, this time choosing his moment brilliantly to enter the line and scorch through.

Morgan then comprehensively skinned Wales' new wing Mark Jones for a deserved try, before Baugh capped his afternoon's work by jinking from the halfway line through what seemed like the whole Llanelli team to score.

Young scrum-half Ryan Powell, in for the injured Rob Howley, then weighed in with Morgan again involved, followed by Walne for his second and then Emyr Lewis.

Jenkins had slotted all but one of his conversions and Mike Rayer carried on the good kicking work in his place.

Chris Wyatt claimed what is usually referred to as a consolation try after intercepting deep in injury time, but the look on his face suggested that it was no consolation at all.

Llanelli: Try: Wyatt. Con: I Boobyer. Pens: Lawson 3.

Cardiff: Tries: R Powell, R Williams 2, Walne 2, C Morgan, E Lewis, Baugh, M Williams. Cons: Rayer 3, Jenkins 4. Pen: Jenkins. Drop Goal: Jenkins.

Att: 5,000

Teams

Llanelli: G Evans, M Jones, D James, S Finau, W Proctor, A Lawson, R Moon, P Booth, R McBryde, M Madden, V Cooper, C Gillies, C Wyatt, D Jones, S Quinnell (capt)
Replacements: J Davies, M Thomas, I Boobyer, M Cardey, M Buckingham, D Peel.

Cardiff: R Williams, N Walne, J Robinson, G Thomas, C Morgan, N Jenkins, R Powell, A Lewis, J Humphreys, S John , M Voyle, C Quinnell, D Baugh, E Lewis, M Williams.