Josh Macleod leads out Scarlets on 150th appearance

Captain Josh Macleod will lead out the side on his 150th appearance as the Scarlets take on Welsh rivals Dragons RFC in the final round of the BKT United Rugby Championship at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday (17:15; S4C & Premier Sports).

Macleod skippers a team showing four personnel changes from last weekend’s narrow loss to the Ospreys in Bridgend.

With Wales international centre Eddie James ruled out with a knee injury there is a reshuffle behind the scrum.

Macs Page, outstanding against the Ospreys, moves from the wing to outside centre; Blair Murray switches from full-back to left wing, allowing Ioan Jones to come into the No. 15 jersey for only his second Scarlets start.

In midfield, Page partners Joe Roberts - who switches to inside centre; while Joe Hawkins and Dane Blacker continue at half-back for a fifth successive game.

Up front, there is a change in the front row with 21-year-old prop Josh Morse handed his first URC start at loose-head. Archer Holz comes in at tight-head with Ryan Elias continuing at hooker.

In the absence of Sam Lousi, Jac Price again packs down in the second row alongside Max Douglas, who will be playing his final game for the Scarlets before his summer move to Japan.

In the back row Fletcher Anderson misses his first match since he arrived in November after picking up a groin issue against the Ospreys. Taine Plumtree switches to No. 8 in his place with Jarrod Taylor coming in at blindside flanker.

The bench includes long-serving Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum-half Gareth Davies, who this week signed a new contract with the club.

Sam O’Connor and Jac Davies, fresh from winning the SRC title with Llandovery RFC last weekend, are also among the replacements, along with Wales U20s back-rower Osian Williams.

Scarlets Interim Director of Rugby Nigel Davies said: “Josh reaching 150 games is a significant moment for the club because he represents so much of what the Scarlets are about.

“He is not just our captain, he is a standard-bearer and one of the emotional leaders of this group. The players respect him enormously because of the levels he drives, the sacrifices he has made and the way he carries himself every single day.

“He has had setbacks in his career that would have deterred a lot of people, but every time he has come back stronger. That resilience and toughness is what makes him such an important figure within this environment.

“We can feel this week that the boys want to put in a big performance as Josh reaches this milestone and a real determination to finish the season the right way for the players moving on and for our supporters who have backed the team throughout this season and which we are very grateful for.

“Results have not reflected enough of the good work that has been going on, but the players have continued to compete, continue to care and continue to fight for each other, which is something we should take pride in and take into the new season. Saturday is an opportunity to show that once again and close on an upbeat note in a competitive Welsh derby at our home.”

On the injury front as Scarlets approach the last weekend of a 34-week competitive match season, Wales international centre Johnny Williams is ruled out with a shoulder injury, while Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe is sidelined with a calf problem.

Marnus will be among the departing players who will be receiving presentations at the end of Saturday’s game.

Scarlets team to face Dragons RFC on Saturday, May 16 (17:15; S4C & Premier Sports)

15 Ioan Jones; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Macs Page, 12 Joe Roberts, 11 Blair Murray; 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker; 1 Josh Morse, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Archer Holz, 4 Jac Price, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Taine Plumtree.

Reps: 16 Harry Thomas, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Osian Williams, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Jac Davies.

Unavailable because of injury

Fletcher Anderson, Eddie James, Johnny Williams, Sam Lousi, Tristan Davies, Marnus van der Merwe, Ellis Mee, Sam Costelow, Jake Ball, Will Evans, Dom Kossuth.