Wayne Pivac has admitted the Scarlets’ European campaign has been a “very disappointing” business after they suffered a fourth defeat in as many matches.
The New Zealander – who will leave the region at the end of the season and prepare to take over with Wales – has conceded his team have failed in their attempts to repeat their Heineken Champions Cup success of last season.
The Scarlets lost 30-15 against Ulster in Belfast on Friday night, completing chastening back-to-back defeats to a team not regarded as one of the pre-tournament favourites but who have still managed 10 points from two games against last season’s semi-finalists.
“It has been a very disappointing European campaign,” said Pivac.
“We had the highs of last season and we were trying to replicate that this season but we haven’t been able to do it.
“We now have to focus on the Guinness Pro 14. There’s a lot of resolve in the group, we’ll take the positives out of the first half in particular and make sure that we work very hard on the Pro14.
“There have been quite a few injuries and disruptions but quite a few of these games rest on fine margins.
“Racing at home and the game last week were both one-point ball games, so you get on the receiving end of some close ones and this time round we haven’t been and we’ve paid the ultimate price.
“Defensively, we had some big sets and held really well. It was just that last 20 minutes and the weight of possession that was too much for us. We had to do so much defending and something had to give. In the end we gave away a couple of tries.
“The derbies are obviously big part of our season now that we focus on the Pro 14. We’ve got to accumulate enough points to be fighting at the end of the season.”
John Cooney scored 15 points of Ulster’s total with the bonus-point try, two conversions and two penalties, while second row Iain Henderson bagged two tries with Jacob Stockdale also crossing.
The five points Ulster claimed – the same as last week’s meeting at Parc y Scarlets – brought Ulster level on points with Pool Four leaders Racing 92 ahead of their game with Leicester Tigers and ended bottom side Scarlets’ already slim chances of making the last eight.