Scarlets name unchanged 23 for Leinster play-off

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Dwayne Peel has named an unchanged match-day squad for Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Leinster in Dublin (3pm; BBC Wales & Premier Sports).

The Scarlets will take the field with the same team that took on the Sharks in Durban last time out as the West Walians look to upset the top seeded Irish province at the Aviva Stadium.

Blair Murray and Ellis Mee – who this week, along with Macs Page, were nominated for the URC Next-Gen player of the season – are joined by fellow Wales international Tom Rogers in the back three.

Joe Roberts and Johnny Williams continue in midfield for the fourth successive game, while Sam Costelow is again partnered by Archie Hughes, who has impressed at scrum-half since replacing the injured Gareth Davies.

At 28, Williams is the oldest player in an exciting, all-Welsh back division.

In the front row, Ryan Elias gets the nod at hooker, packing down in between fellow experienced internationals Alec Hepburn and Henry Thomas.

Alex Craig and Sam Lousi link up in the second row, while the back row is made up of Vaea Fifita, Taine Plumtree and skipper Josh Macleod.

Kemsley Mathias, Marnus van der Merwe, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis and Jarrod Tayor provide the replacement cover up front, with Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd and Macs Page covering the backs.

Wainwright will make his 50th Scarlets appearance if he comes off the bench.

Head coach Dwayne Peel said: “We have worked hard to get to the play-offs, now we have to embrace it, we have to make the most of it now we’re here.

“There is no greater task in club rugby than going to Dublin, but we’re looking forward to it. We won’t shy away from it. We are confident in our own ability and we know we are going to have to be at our very, very best.

“It is going to be a great occasion, it will be a new experience for a lot of our boys – we are going to have to be brave, we are going to have to be accurate and we are going to have to try and put our stamp on our game, play the Scarlets way.”

Scarlets team to play Leinster at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 31 (3.00pm UK time; BBC Wales, Premier Sports)

15 Blair Murray; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Archie Hughes; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Alex Craig, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Vaea Fifita, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Taine Plumtree.

Reps: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Dan Davis, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Efan Jones, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Macs Page.

Unavailable because of injury/illness

Gareth Davies, Max Douglas, Ben Williams, Archer Holz, Harri O’Connor, Sam O’Connor, Josh Morse, Isaac Young.