A power-packed Stormers side inflicted a second BKT United Rugby Championship home defeat on the Scarlets, winning 34-0 to continue the South Africans’ impressive unbeaten start to the season.
The home side had few answers to the strength of the visitors’ pack, who were able to dominate the set-piece battle and take advantage of Scarlets’ ill-discipline.
Afterwards, head coach Dwayne Peel admitted it had been a sobering night for his injury-hit squad.
They trailed 17-0 at half-time and conceded three more tries after the break.
Peel’s men showed plenty of spirit in adversity, but were second best in most areas against a side who had already dispatched defending champions Leinster and Ospreys in Cape Town.
Like the first 40 in their previous outing against Munster, Scarlets spent much of the first period on the back foot.
With the Stormers pack in dominant mood, the opening try came from forward power that eventually led to player of the match, No. 8 Evan Roos, diving over.
Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted, then extended the lead with a penalty.
With the referee’s whistle to the fore, Stormers lost lock Ben-Jason Dixon to a yellow card for an illegal challenge at a ruck, then Scarlets were reduced to 14 men when Taine Plumtree was sent to the bin for reacting to an off-the-ball challenge.
A late breakaway saw the Stormers set up camp inside the Scarlets 22 again and eventually the pressure told with a try on the stroke of half-time for flanker Paul de Villiers. A second successful conversion for Feinberg-Mngomezulu made it 17-0 at the interval.
Scarlets desperately needed a spark at the start of the second half, but the Stormers’ defence was in resolute mood, knocking back red jerseys time and time again.
Despite having Feinberg-Mngomezulu yellow carded, the Stormers celebrated their third try on 58 minutes, with more forward power leading to second row Ruben van Heerden crossing.
The fly-half returned to the fray to collect a fortuitous score in the corner to secure the bonus point for the Stormers, then after Macs Page became the latest to see yellow, replacement Imad Khan completed the scoring late on.
Scarlets will run the rule over forwards Tristan Davies and Max Douglas, who both went off injured, before heading to South Africa on Tuesday ahead of their round four clash against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg.
Stormers – tries: E. Roos, P. de Villiers, R. van Heerden, S. Feinberg-Mngomezulu, I. Khan. Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), D. Willemse. Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)
Attendance: 6,114