Scarlets will take the field against Dragons RFC on New Year’s Day (15:00; S4C & Premier Sports), fielding a reshuffled side from the Boxing Day clash with the Ospreys.
With the short turnaround between festive BKT URC fixtures, head coach Dwayne Peel has made six personnel and five positional changes to his starting line-up.
Ioan Nicholas has recovered from a foot injury and comes in at full-back for his first appearance since the Sharks game in October, with Ellis Mee moving to the left wing.
In midfield, Joe Roberts switches from wing to his preferred outside centre slot where he partners Eddie James, who wears the No. 12 jersey. Joe Hawkins and Gareth Davies continue at half-back.
Up front, there is a new look to the front five.
Kemsley Mathias (pictured) has overcome the groin issue that forced to miss the Ospreys game and starts at loose-head prop, packing down alongside Marnus van der Merwe and Henry Thomas.
With Jake Ball sidelined with the knee injury he sustained on Boxing Day, on-loan Harvey Cuckson is recalled to the second row, while Max Douglas moves into the engine room from the back row.
Skipper Josh Macleod has come through his head injury protocols to lead the team from openside so Taine Plumtree moves across the back-row to blindside flanker. Fletcher Anderson, who made more carries than any other player in round eight of the URC, continues in the No. 8 shirt.
Among the replacements, Tonga international Sam Lousi will make his 100th Scarlets appearance if he comes off the bench.
Loose-head prop Josh Morse, who made his URC debut last weekend, and 18-year-old fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones – both home-grown academy products, are also included in the match-day squad.
Fourteen of the match-day 23 came through the Scarlets pathway.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “The result on Boxing Day was disappointing for us all. We have had to lick our wounds and it’s been important to recover well and turn our focus to the Dragons. The games are coming thick and fast and this is another important game and another tough game for us. They are going well at the moment and we have to make sure we go to Rodney Parade with a spark and full of energy.”
Scarlets team to face Dragons on Thursday, January 1 (15:00; S4C & Premier Sports)
15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Max Douglas, 5 Harvey Cuckson, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Fletcher Anderson.
Reps: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Macs Page.
Unavailable because of injury/illness
Archer Holz, Blair Murray, Jake Ball, Johnny Williams, Sam Costelow, Ioan Jones, Isaac Young.
