Scarlets will take on the Emirates Lions in a crucial ‘Race to the Eight’ clash on Sunday, showing just one change to the side that beat Leinster last time out.
South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe swaps places with Ryan Elias in the front row for the round 17 match-up in Johannesburg (2pm UK time).
Blair Murray, Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee continue in a potent attacking back-three, Joe Roberts and Johnny Williams get the nod again in midfield, while Gareth Davies and Sam Costelow link up as the half-back pairing.
Former Cheetahs hooker van der Merwe packs down in between Alec Hepburn and Henry Thomas; Alex Craig and Sam Lousi combine in the second row, Vaea Fifita is at blindside, Taine Plumtree at No. 8 and skipper Josh Macleod leads the side from openside.
Kemsley Mathias has recovered from his calf issue to take his place among the replacements. Dan Davis also comes into the match-day 23.
Scarlets sit in seventh spot in the BKT URC table with two matches of the regular season remaining.
Head coach Dwayne Peel said: “It is a big challenge ahead, a massive game on Sunday in Joburg, but we are in a good spot and looking forward to getting into it. We have spoken about competing this season and we are in the play-offs with two rounds to go. But it is about not just staying there, we want to push up the league, not just surviving. Our destiny is in our hands and we will approach it that way.
“We hadn’t beaten Leinster since 2018 – we haven’t won in South Africa since the four main franchises have been introduced so to get through (to the play-offs) we are going to have to create another bit of history.”
Scarlets team to play Emirates Lions at Emirates Airline Park on Sunday, May 11 (2pm UK time; S4C, Premier Sports)
15 Blair Murray; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Alex Craig, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Vaea Fifita, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Taine Plumtree.
Reps: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Dan Davis, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Macs Page.
Unavailable because of injury/illness
Max Douglas, Ben Williams, Archer Holz, Harri O’Connor, Sam O’Connor, Josh Morse, Isaac Young.