Costelow conversion sees Scarlets beat Clermont

Leigh Halfpenny joined Scarlets from Toulon in 2017

A late Sam Costelow conversion gave Scarlets a famous European Challenge Cup quarter-final win over 14-man Clermont in Llanelli.

The French side rallied to lead, but Scarlets battled back with Costelow's 77th minute kick following a Ryan Conbeer try.

Scarlets will now face either Glasgow or Lions in a home semi-final.

The home side had earlier scored tries through Halfpenny, Costelow and Johnny Williams, but had Vaea Fifita and Gareth Davies shown yellow cards in either half.

Clermont responded with tries from Simeone, Giorgi Beria and an Alivereti Raka brace, but the late intervention of Conbeer and Costelow sparked wild scenes at Parc y Scarlets.

This was an 11th win in 13 games for a rejuvenated Scarlets side as they beat Clermont for the first time in eight attempts.

Halfpenny, who was forced off the field following the Simeone challenge, had returned to replace Tom Rogers in the only change to the starting side that defeated Brive 19-7 last weekend.

Fly-half Costelow was passed fit after coming off against Brive with a dead leg. Scarlets had come into the game with 10 wins in 12 matches.

Clermont arrived in Llanelli having made three changes from the side that beat Bristol with wing Raka, scrum-half Baptiste Jauneau and lock Paul Jedrasiak starting.

Clermont had celebrated seven previous wins against Scarlets and had won this tournament on three occasions.

More to follow.

Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny; Steff Evans, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ken Owens, Javan Sebastian, Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi, Aaron Shingler, Josh Macleod (capt), Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Shaun Evans, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Morgan Jones, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Ioan Nicholas.

Clermont: Alex Newsome; Damian Penaud, Irae Simone, George Moala, Alivereti Raka; Anthony Belleau, Baptiste Jauneau; Etienne Falgoux, Etienne Fourcade, Cristian Ojovan, Thibaud Lanen, Paul Jedrasiak, Killian Tixeront, Lucas Dessaigne, Fritz Lee (capt).

Replacements: Jean-Maxence Jules-Rosette, Giorgi Beria, Rabah Slimani, Edward Annandale, Jaco Van Tonder, Sébastien Bézy, Jules Plisson, Bautista Delguy.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Assistant referees: Adam Leal & Sara Cox (England)

TMO: Andrew Jackson (England).