Scarlets director of rugby Nigel Davies says Taine Plumtree must take accountability for his discipline after admitting the back row’s growing yellow-card record is “hurting” the side.
Plumtree was shown his seventh yellow card of the season in Saturday’s 28-24 defeat by Cardiff, which proved to be a costly sin-bin spell that turned the game on its head.
With the Scarlets flanker off the field for a cynical ruck offence, Cardiff scored three tries in 10 minutes to complete a remarkable comeback victory from 24-7 down.
Davies did not hide his frustration, insisting Plumtree’s discipline, and the team’s collective indiscipline, is proving too expensive.
“It’s hurting us at the moment,” said Davies.
“The last two games, we’ve had two yellow cards at the same periods in those games.
“Leinster away, we had good momentum in that game and that sort of took our momentum away there.
“And it had a significant effect on the result on Saturday with two yellow cards coming in.”
- Comebacks, capitulation, ill-discipline and injuries
- Cardiff stun Scarlets with late URC fightback
- Patchell to join Pivac’s Benetton coaching staff
Plumtree’s latest sin-bin means he has now collected seven yellow cards this season for club and country – four for Scarlets and three for Wales.
It is a remarkable statistic for a player who, for much of Saturday’s derby, looked set to be the match winner.
The 26-year-old had been outstanding, scoring a try, producing a brilliant acrobatic assist for another and helping dismantle Cardiff’s line-out.
At his best, he looks every inch the powerful, athletic blindside flanker Wales have been searching for.
But his ill-discipline once again proved the defining moment and Davies revealed the issue has been addressed directly with the player.
“We’ve spoken to Taine, and Taine’s a great player,” he said.
“A lot of his work goes around his rugby, around his discipline, and he knows that.
“It had a big effect on the game.”
There had been warning signs before the yellow card.
Earlier in the first half, Plumtree was penalised after an altercation with Cardiff flanker Alex Mann, turning what had been a Scarlets penalty in a dangerous attacking position into a momentum-sapping setback.
Davies was blunt in his assessment: “There was a bit of a kerfuffle with Alex Mann and rubbing his hands on his head just isn’t acceptable.
“They are the type of things we’ve been talking about.
“These are the pictures that we put in front of the referee, and individual decisions like that can have a huge impact on the result.”
Davies stressed the problem is not solely Plumtree’s, but says Scarlets must show greater responsibility.
“We have to be accountable for those things,” he added. “We saw the effect it can have. It can just turn a game on its head.
“It wasn’t the only reason, but it was a big factor.”
For almost 70 minutes against Cardiff, Plumtree showed exactly why Scarlets and Wales value him so highly.
For the final 10, he reminded everyone why his discipline is becoming impossible to ignore.
