THERE was a piece of individual brilliance from Rhys Priestland midway through the second half of this pre-season romp when Mark Jones must have thought there is nothing to this skills coaching lark.

A chip ahead, a measured kick and run around the full-back and then a sumptuous one-handed flick for Damian Welch to score under the posts was a moment of magic you don't normally see as the cobwebs are blown away in a pre-season run-out.

"It's something we have been working on all week," laughed Jones, after this impressive display from the West Wales region. "I'd love to claim that one, but it lies squarely on Rhys's shoulders.

"It was great to see him playing with confidence and with a smile on his face and when the try was scored the boys all went over to congratulate him, which shows a good spirit there."

The match doubled up as a testimonial to Jones, who has been forced to retire from the game because of his third serious knee operation.

The 47-cap Wales wing led out the side with his one-year-old son Caleb and was given a warm ovation from a crowd of around 3,000, sheltering from the incessant rain in the South Stand.

The fans also appreciated the 80-odd minutes that followed and while pre-season friendlies rarely given a firm indicator of what is to come, the attacking endeavour from the Scarlets was there for all to see.

Priestland was the star of the show, scoring one of his side's six tries, claiming that spectacular assist for another and adding 13 points from the boot.

But the fact that head coach Nigel Davies could reel off seven or eight others who caught the eye was hugely encouraging ahead of the Magners League opener in Treviso a week on Saturday.

"It was a good, positive exercise for us," said Davies. "There were some good individual performances and a lot of pattern which we have worked on, with and without the ball, which was pleasing.

"It builds on the game last week against Gloucester and hopefully we can build again on Friday against Exeter.

"I thought the two second rows (Reed and Welch) did well, I was pleased with Emyr Phillips at hooker, he gives us options there, Josh (Turnbull) worked his socks off, Rhys (Priestland) played really well, it was good to see Regan (King) and Stodds (Morgan Stoddart) back and playing well and George North would have stood out for a lot of people who were seeing him for the first time, he has a big future."

King, had he not been replaced at half-time, would have pushed Priestland hard for man-of-the-match honours.

The All Black oozed class, obviously benefiting from a full pre-season of conditioning following his horrendous hamstring injury 18 months ago.

The hamstring was tested with a 35-yard sprint to the corner for a breakaway score, before the Kiwi put lively scrum-half Martin Roberts over for the first of his two tries with a sublime delayed pass.

Three tries were added in a more disjointed second period — inevitable when you make 14 substitutions.

Roberts sniped over from close range for the fourth, Priestland's brilliance put Welch in at the posts for No. 5, then centre Gareth Maule finished off another fine passing movement for the sixth.

The Scarlets' hopes of keeping the visitors tryless were dashed when former Stradey favourite Craig Gillies ploughed over late on, but new defence coach Simon Easterby would have been pleased with the appetite shown by the home side without the ball.

Elsewhere, wings Joe Ajuwa and North had plenty of opportunity to attack with Ajuwa twisting out of three tackles to set up the first try for Priestland, while 18-year-old North further enhanced his reputation with some threatening bursts.

Of course, victory against a team that will be playing in English rugby's second tier this season has to be put into perspective.

The Warriors had a solid set piece, but lacked the invention or pace of the Scarlets.

Fly-half Andy Goode, who was at Parc y Scarlets in the Heineken Cup with Brive last season, did punish early home ill-discipline with a hat-trick of penalties, but this was not the type of return to Llanelli former director of rugby Phil Davies — now forwards coach at Sixways — would have hoped for.

As for his successor, Nigel Davies will take plenty of encouragement into Friday's match against a Chiefs side who have replaced the Warriors in the Premiership.

Six more internationals will return for what should be a far sterner test.

But the Scarlets are building, and on this evidence, building with real intent.