Skipper Josh Macleod is among nine players returning to the Scarlets starting line-up for Sunday’s EPCR Challenge Cup round two clash with Georgian side Black Lion at Parc y Scarlets (1pm; Premier Sport).
Johnny Williams, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas and Taine Plumtree are also back in the run-on side after sitting out last weekend’s narrow loss in Bayonne, while Max Douglas and Sam Lousi are promoted from the bench.
Behind the scrum, the back three of Ioan Nicholas, Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee is unchanged, while in midfield Williams comes in to partner Joe Roberts. There is a fresh half-back pairing of Sam Costelow and Gareth Davies.
Up front, Kemsley Mathias is joined by hooker van der Merwe – who has overcome a hamstring niggle – and Henry Thomas, who replaces the injured Sam Wainwright. Wales international tight-head Wainwright is to undergo surgery on the ankle injury he suffered in the south of France.
Douglas and Lousi combine at lock, while Plumtree and Macleod link up with Vaea Fifita in the back row.
On the bench, Alec Hepburn returns to the match-day 23.
Scarlets contact area and scrum coach Emyr Phillips said: “Black Lion showed last year they are a good, well-coached team with that Georgia coaching group in there and have serious players and power as well. We realise that home wins are important and they have already picked up a home win so their confidence will be high. But we are in a good place, the squad is excited, the boys have trained well and are looking forward to a European game at home. It is a Sunday afternoon kick-off so hopefully we can get a good crowd down here and build on the positives we have had over the last few weeks.”
Scarlets team to play Black Lion at Parc y Scarlets on Sunday, December 15 (1.00pm UK time; Premier Sport)
15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Max Douglas 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Vaea Fifita.
Reps: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Archer Holz, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Eddie James.
Unavailable because of injury
Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Ryan Elias, Blair Murray, Tomi Lewis, Steff Evans, Harri O’Connor, Josh Morse.