Llanelli Scarlets went back to the top of the Magners League on Saturday night after beating Leinster 33-21 at Stradey Park.

Leinster were without many of their Irish internationals and went 27-0 down after a strong start by the home team.

However the visitors fought their way back in to the match, and it took some tough defence from the Scarlets to keep the Irish threat, and international winger Denis Hickie in particular, from scoring.

It was a good win for the Scarlets, marred only by an injury to star scrum-half Dwayne Peel. He left the field with an arm problem, and Wales selectors will be hope the situation is not serious ahead of the autumn internationals.

Llanelli scored two tries inside the opening four minutes and had notched up their four-try bonus point with just over a quarter of the match gone.

With the sun beating down at Stradey Park, the Scarlets played some spectacular stuff early on to stun the Irish side, who had been delayed arriving at the ground because of traffic on the journey from their hotel.

Adrift 27-7 at the turnaround Leinster needed to get on the scoreboard first and they managed through with Hickie’s second after smart work around the fringe.

But Leinster kept coming back and a quick tap by lively replacement scrum-half Chris Whitaker saw lock Trevor Hogan cross on 64 minutes.

However the fightback was not quite enough and the Scarlets hung on and are now two points clear of Ulster at the top of the Magners League.