Llanelli 10 Biarritz 27Llanelli fancied themselves to win the Heineken Cup this season but were given a rude awakening by the power and pace of Biarritz, who last night became the second French club to knock out the Scarlets at the quarter-final stage despite conceding home advantage.

Biarritz's mauling gave the video referee, Roy Maybank, some viewing at the end of the first half as they twice forced their way over the line, but there were too many bodies to tell whether the ball had been grounded. David Couzinet forced his way over to at last inject some passion into Llanelli's play and the half ended frenetically.

Stephen Jones was denied a try when he was tripped by Dimitri Yachvili as he chased his own chip to the line. It should have been a penalty try, but Jones had to content himself with a penalty.

Llanelli wasted their numerical advantage by conceding a soft try 90 seconds after the restart. The wing Philippe Bidabe sped clear to put Nicolas Brusque over.

When Julien Peyrelongue dropped a goal on 57 minutes to put his side 15-3 ahead, it looked over for the home side.

The Scarlets coach Gareth Jenkins had called the Cup his Holy Grail but what had appeared another fruitless quest turned into a memorable finish as Stephen Jones, with virtually his side's first attack of the half, finished off a crisp move.

Llanelli laid siege to the Biarritz line but left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks and Biarritz's first visit to the Llanelli half for 15 minutes ended with Brusque scoring his second try before Philippe Bernat-Salles clinched a rousing victory with a try in stoppage time.

LLANELLI: B Davies; Evans, Taylor, Watkins, Finau; S Jones, Peel; Thomas, McBryde, J Davies, Cooper (capt), Wyatt, D Jones, Easterby, Quinnell. Try: S Jones. Con: S Jones. Pen: S Jones.

BIARRITZ: Brusque; Bidabe, Gaitan, Isaac, Marlu (Bernat-Salles 40); Peyrelongue, Yachvili; Balan, Gonzalez, Avril, Manent, Couzinet, Betsen, Tonita, Lievremont (capt). Yellow card: Betsen 40.

Referee: C White (England).