The triumph was the first time in 12 games that the Scarlets had managed to claim a win in Europe while the big spending Frenchmen left Wales knowing they will not make the knock-out stages of this year’s tournament.
Stephen Jones pulled the strings for the Scarlets in a man of the match performance but young centre Jonathan Davies also caught the eye with his power and pace.
The home side got the best possible start when David Lyons powered his way over from 20m. Stephen Jones converted to give the Scarlets a morale boosting 7-0 lead.
In the eighth minute Jones had an opportunity to extend the lead after Stade Francais were penalised at a scrum. The Scarlets fly-half accepted the challenge and took the score to 10-0.
The flambuoyant French showed glimpses of their cabailities but the Scarlets kept pegging them back deep into their own territory. Deacon Manu and Vernon Cooper surged into the heart of the Stade defence to set up another shot at goal for Jones when the French side were caught off-side. Jones slotted the penalty to give the home side an encouraging 13-0 after 13 minutes.
The French showed their class when winger Guillaume Bouses finished off in the corner despite Ceiron Thomas and Jonathan Davies’s best efforts.
Scarlets dangerman Lyons had to leave the field in the 24th minute with his head dripping in blood after clashing with Juan Hernandez who also had to seek attention.
Five minutes before the break Jones extended the Scarlets lead to 16-5 after Stade Francais were caught off-side again. And as scrum half Noel Oelschig kicked the ball out at halftime he and his team mates would have realised that Stade Francais’s hopes of getting out of the group for the knockout stages were hanging by a thread.
Stade Francais’s hopes were dealt a blow when Hernandez didn’t come out for the second half. He was replaced by the powerful Mathieu Bastareaud.
The French were on the attack immediately but were repelled by some staunch Scarlets defence. The home side then counter-attacked when Regan King intercepted to put speeding prop Phil John powering towards the try line but he was nailed just inches short of the corner flag.
The Scarlets showed they could produce something out of nothing when Jonathan Davies finished off a sweeping move which was instigated by King’s inside ball. With the Scarlets 21-5 ahead, the home side were looking to turn the screw.
The French side didn’t do themselves any favours when Oelschig kicked the ball away in frustration and then backchatted the referee to gift Jones another three points as the Scarlets went 24-5 ahead.
Stade Francais saw a glimmer of hope when Bouses raced 50m after intercepting Ken Owens pass, however the winger botched his conversion from in front of the posts when his drop kick hit the sticks.
Eight minutes from time Davies showed his power and pace after a chargedown. He still had plenty of work to do when he collected the ball. Speeding down the touchline he swatted aside covering fullback Lionel Beauxis with ease to score in the corner. With Jones adding the touchline conversion the Scarlets had forged into an unassailable 31-10 lead.
Mirco Bergamasco scored a consolation try right on full time which Beauxis converted but by then it was all too little too late for the Frenchmen.
