The classy French outfit had too much physicality and panache for the hosts with the visitors’ passing also of the highest order. The Scarlets were blown out of the water inside the first 17 minutes after Clermont raced to a 0-17 lead.
Going into the match Clermont made eight changes to the side that brushed aside Exeter Chiefs with such ease at home last weekend. Welsh full back Lee Byrne and France wing Julien Malzieu returned in the back three while Benson Stanley combined with skipper Aurelien Rougerie in the midfield.
The final change in the backs saw David Skrela start in the number 10 jersey in place of Brock James.
In the pack Alexandre Lapandry and Elvis Vermeulen joined Julien Bonnaire in the back-row while Raphael Chaume bolstered the front-row.
Welsh stars George North and Jonathan Davies returned for the Scarlets while experienced prop Phil John had the honour of leading his side out on his 250th appearance. However the Welsh underdogs proved to be no match for the top dogs in the opening exchanges.
Try scoring machine Napolioni Nalaga took only seven minutes to cross for his fifth try of the campaign after his fellow wing Julien Malzieu ignored the presence of Davies as he off-loaded to Benjamin Kayser. The hooker then gave Nalaga a free run to the line.
Morgan Parra obliged with the conversion and soon added a penalty before Scarlets No 8 Rob McCusker gave the scrum half a gift when he threw the ball straight to him from a re-treating scrum. Parra could hardly believe his luck and cantered 20m to score and convert his own try to take Clermont out to a comfortable 0-17 lead.
The Scarlets struggled to contain the rampaging visitors as forwards and backs combined to completely dominate possession and territory. On the rare occasion the home side managed to clear the danger, Parra or David Skrela would ease Clermont back inside the Scarlets half with their well-judged kicking game.
Benson Stanley went through some powder puff defence to score his first try in the competition just before the break as Clermont turned the screw. With Skrela’s conversion Clermont went into the break 0-24 up and in full control.
The Scarlets managed to stem the flow in the early stages of the second half and strung a few phases together but then never looked like having the killer touch their French opponents showed in the first half.
Despite weathering the storm, the Scarlets defence was under immense pressure and it was only going to be a matter of time before Clermont secured their bonus point try – and it was former fans’ favourite Regan King who was instrumental in the French outfit gaining it.
The replacement centre reminded Scarlets fans of his skills, when he danced around Adam Warren and Davies to cleverly whip the ball one handed to Aurelian Rougerie who strolled over to earn Clermont their bonus point try.
The closest the Scarlets got to crossing was when flanker Josh Turnbull had the ball knocked from his grasp in the act of scoring by Nathan Hines.
The defeat left the Scarlets at the bottom of Pool 5, after they failed to register a single victory in a disappointing campaign. Simon Easterby’s men have now won just one of their last 10 Heineken Cup ties.
