Scott Williams will make his first BKT United Rugby Championship appearance of the season as Scarlets take on Zebre Parma at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday (19:35; S4C & Premier Sports).
The experienced Wales international centre has recovered from a knee injury picked up in pre-season and slots into a side showing seven personnel changes from last weekend’s defeat to Cardiff.
With Williams coming in at inside centre, skipper Jonathan Davies reverts to outside centre. Elsewhere in the back division, Kieran Hardy gets the nod to partner Sam Costelow at half-back.
There is all change in the front row with Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Harri O’Connor all handed their first starts of the campaign.
With Vaea Fifita suspended following his red card last weekend and Blade Thomson going through concussion protocols, there is a reshuffle in the back five of the pack.
Jac Price partners namesake Tom in the second row and Sam Lousi switches to blindside flanker. Josh Macleod returns to the No. 7 jersey after sitting out last weekend’s match following a blow to the head in Treviso, while Sione Kalamafoni, who currently tops the competition’s carrying charts, continues at No. 8.
The bench contains last week’s starting front row of Steff Thomas, Ryan Elias and Javan Sebastian, along with Morgan Jones, Shaun Evans, Dane Blacker, Rhys Patchell and Steff Evans.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “We can’t hide from the fact we are disappointed where we are sitting in the table and disappointed that we have had opportunities in games and haven’t finished them off. We are working hard on all parts of our game, on and off the field, and are determined to put things right.”
Scarlets team to play Zebre at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday (19:35; S4C & Premier Sports)
15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 Jonathan Davies (capt), 12 Scott Williams, 11 Ryan Conbeer; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Kieran Hardy; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Harri O’Connor 4 Jac Price, 5 Tom Price, 6 Sam Lousi, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Shaun Evans, 21 Dane Blacker, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Steff Evans.
Unavailable
Vaea Fifita, Blade Thomson, Corey Baldwin, Johnny Williams, Ioan Nicholas, Tomás Lezana, Tom Rogers, Aaron Shingler, Dan Davis, Phil Price, Lewis Rawlins, Joe Roberts, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Callum Williams, Samson Lee, Griff Evans.