Wales captain Ken Owens returns for the in-form Scarlets when they take on Brive in Friday’s EPCR Challenge Cup round of 16 encounter in Llanelli (8pm).
The seasoned hooker is back from Six Nations duty as the west Walians aim to take a step closer to European silverware.
They are enjoying a purple patch of form, underlined by their United Rugby Championship win over a fully loaded Cell C Sharks side last weekend. The Scarlets had been widely written off beforehand but responded with an inspired performance against opponents who had Lukhanyo Am in the centre, Makazole Mapimpi on the left wing and an immensely powerful pack containing the likes of Ox Nche, Bongo Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi.
Having Owens back will add further to the belief that a season that started so miserably for Dwayne Peel's team, with just one win arriving from their first 10 league outings, could yet end on a high.
The ex-club captain earned high marks for his leadership during a difficult Six Nations on and off the field for Wales. He is one of two personnel changes from the win over the Sharks, with the other switch an enforced one after a hamstring injury to openside flanker Dan Davies. A back-row reshuffle sees another stalwart, Aaron Shingler, come in at blindside with skipper Josh Macleod moving to seven.
With Brive bottom of the Top 14, nine points adrift of the club above them, the Scarlets will be fancied to make more progress in a competition that has gone a long way to revitalising their campaign.
Ten of their starting XV are homegrown, including five of the back division, which remains unchanged from the win over Sharks.
The bench sees the return of Wales’ Six Nations squad members Wyn Jones and Rhys Patchell.
Scarlets booked their place in the last 16 thanks to four wins from four that saw them finish as top seeds in Pool B.
Head coach Peel said: “It is a big occasion. Last weekend was a big one with the Sharks and the calibre of team they brought and this is another. Knockout rugby is great. You want to be part of the knockout stages of Europe and the boys are looking forward to it.
“Brive will come here and make it difficult for us. They are going to be very physical, they have excellent line-out defence, one of the best in the Top 14 and they fight hard at the breakdown. The boys are working hard, we have prepped well and are expecting a tough challenge.”
Scarlets: Tom Rogers; Steff Evans, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ken Owens, Javan Sebastian, Vaea Fifita, 5 Sam Lousi, Aaron Shingler, Josh Macleod (capt), Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Shaun Evans, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Morgan Jones, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Patchell, Ioan Nicholas.
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