Leigh Halfpenny will be hoping to put down a Six Nations marker having returned from injury to wear the Scarlets number 15 jersey against the Dragons on New Year's Day.
The 34-year-old has had his fair share of injury problems since a severe knee injury against Canada in 2021 and made only one appearance for Wales in the autumn as a replacement during their infamous defeat to Georgia.
He was named to start Wales' Tests against New Zealand and Australia, but was forced to pull out at the 11th hour on each occasion.
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It will be interesting to see whether returning Wales head coach Warren Gatland opts to move on from Halfpenny given he has previously raised concerns about the age profile of the squad.
But Halfpenny remains as reliable as always and with options thin on the ground when it comes to full-back, especially given Liam Williams' recent injury problems, you wouldn't bet against Gatland sticking with the Scarlets man.
But first things first, Halfpenny will want to lift the Scarlets after a dire season which has seen them win just once in the URC all campaign.
Following a heavy loss to the Ospreys on Boxing Day head coach Dwayne Peel will be desperate for his players to bounce back against a tricky Dragons outfit at Parc y Scarlets.
The former Wales scrum-half has named Ken Owens as captain with Rhys Patchell and Scott Williams elevated to the starting XV, while there is a first start of the season for 22-year-old centre Joe Roberts.
With Josh Macleod ruled out with a knee injury and Tomás Lezana suspended following his red card against the Ospreys, Dan Davis comes in at openside flanker.
Wales international tight-head Sam Wainwright is set to make his Scarlets debut following his arrival from Saracens earlier this month.
The 24-year-old is one of a number of changes on the bench.
Only a few seasons ago a Dragons victory in Llanelli would have seemed almost inconceivable given the previous gulf in quality between the sides, but Dai Flanagan's men head down the M4 expecting to win their second game at Parc y Scarlets on the trot.
The Dragons have been much improved this season and will be hopeful of bouncing back from their last-gasp defeat to Cardiff on Boxing Day.
Flanagan has been boosted by the return of Wales openside Taine Basham who has recovered from an elbow injury sustained in October. Like Halfpenny Basham is under pressure to perform ahead of the Six Nations given the outstanding form of Jac Morgan, Thomas Young, and Justin Tipuric.
Aki Seiuli (prop) and Lewis Jones (scrum-half) also come into the starting line-up with centre Steffan Hughes handed the captain's armband against his former club.
And head coach Flanagan, who left the Scarlets coaching set-up in the summer, is keen to get one over his old club.
"I have great memories of being there,” admitted Flanagan. “I have a lot of close friends down there. I haven't been back since leaving because it happened so quick in the summer. One of the ex-analysts packed my bag and delivered it to me. It will be nice to go back and see people, more than anything else.
“It will be strange going into the away dressing room, but I’ve done it before as a player. We’ve got a job to do for 80 minutes and then post game we'll catch up."
Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny; Johnny McNicholl; Joe Roberts, Scott Williams, Steff Evans; Rhys Patchell, Dane Blacker; Kemsley Mathias, Ken Owens (capt), WillGriff John, Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi, Aaron Shingler, Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni. Replacements: Shaun Evans, Steff Thomas, Sam Wainwright, Morgan Jones, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Jonathan Davies.
Dragons RFC: Angus O'Brien; Rio Dyer, Steff Hughes (captain), Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt; JJ Hanrahan, Lewis Jones; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, George Nott, Aaron Wainwright, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty. Replacements: Brodie Coughlan, Rob Evans, Luke Yendle, Matthew Screech, Ben Fry, Che Hope, Sam Davies, Sio Tomkinson.
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