Rugby-Challenge Cup newcomers Black Lion beat Scarlets

(Reuters) - Newcomers Black Lion of Georgia beat Welsh side Scarlets 23-7 in Llanelli on Friday to claim their first-ever victory in the Challenge Cup.

Lion's fly-half Luka Matkava kicked 13 points and Miriani Modebadze and Beka Mamrikashvili scored tries on either side of halftime to cap off a dream result for Lion, who were founded just two years ago in 2021.

The win comes just over a year after Georgia's national team secured a historic 13-12 victory over Wales, in which Matkava also played a starring role.

"I thought we were poor to be honest, in certain elements of the game," Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said. "We were taught a lesson at scrum-time and got penalised at almost every one."

Lion are one of two teams invited to compete in the 2023-24 Challenge Cup, along with South Africa's Cheetahs.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry)