Scarlets duo win first Wales caps

Rob Lloyd News

Home-grown talents Joe Roberts and Kemsley Mathias have joined the Scarlets’ international roll of honour after making their Wales debuts in the Summer Nations Series clash with England at Twickenham.

Centre Roberts started the match, becoming the 251st player to represent the club on the men’s international stage, while Pembrokeshire prop Mathias came on as a second-half replacement.

It was Roberts’ scything outside break and inside pass that set up Wales’ second try for scrum-half Tomos Williams and the Academy graduate emerged as one of his side’s standout players from the narrow 19-17 loss.

Wing Tom Rogers and back-rower Taine Plumtree also started, while scrum-half Gareth Davies came off the bench late on.

Plumtree, making his first Wales start, left the field with a shoulder injury which will be assessed this week.

After the match, Wales coach Warren Gatland also announced that Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias is expected to be on the sidelines for four weeks following a hamstring injury suffered against England in Cardiff.

Elsewhere, Vaea Fifita featured in Tonga’s 28-3 World Cup warm-up win over Canada in Nuku’alofa on Thursday.