Wasps scored six tries as they thrashed Llanelli Scarlets 40-7 at Adams Park to keep their Heineken Cup defence alive and kicking, heading into a potentially tense final round of pool matches.

Having never been in danger of suffering the same fate as Leicester, who were knocked out after yesterday's defeat to Edinburgh, Wasps now lead second-placed Munster by four points, with the two sides meeting at Thomond Park next Saturday.

Victory for either side will see them through to the quarter-finals although such is the complicated nature of 'the group of death' that Wasps could still go through even if they lose to Munster, who maintained their own hopes of a place in the last eight by securing a bonus point in a 26-19 defeat at Clermont Auvergne.

It was therefore imperative that Wasps earned a bonus point in beating the struggling Scarlets - and it was in the bag before half-time. Fraser Waters scored the first after just five minutes and was followed over by Phil Vickery, David Doherty and Dominic Waldouck.

Wasps continued in a similar vein after the break, with Rob Hoadley and Paul Sackey adding to the Scarlets' woe, while the gifted fly-half Danny Cipriani converted four from five before leaving to a rapturous ovation.

Llanelli have proven to be the pool's whipping boys and remain the only team in the competition not to have won a single point. They arrived at Adams Park ravaged by injuries - with Wales international half-backs Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel, New Zealand centre Regan King plus loose-forwards Alix Popham and Gavin Thomas all absent.