Scarlets bring back winning internationals for first ever derby double header

The Scarlets welcome back key international players for this weekend’s big Welsh regional rugby double-header at the Millennium Stadium as they face the Newport Gwent Dragons in a crucial RaboDirect PRO12 fixture.

Wales international centres Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams, wings George North and Liam Williams and hookers Matthew Rees and Ken Owens will all be back in Scarlets action with Head Coach Simon Easterby saying his West Wales side had benefited from the competition for places in training this week.

It will be a special milestone for Jonathan Davies as he plays his 100th game for the Scarlets on Saturday afternoon.

The Scarlets travel to the Millennium Stadium today (Fri: 1.30pm) to finalise their preparations with a Captain’s Run and with it the chance for a number of Scarlets players to get their first ever taste of running out on the national stadium pitch.

Simon Easterby said: “We’re looking forward to this game, I think it’s a great initiative for regional rugby on the back of a successful Welsh rugby campaign in the Six Nations and it gives the opportunity to a wider set of rugby supporters to be part of the big match atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium. Hopefully, we can build on this first one and it will become an annual event that becomes bigger and more established each year.

“The boys have prepared well – it’s been an intense training week at Parc y Scarlets with plenty of competition to get into the starting XV which has really added an edge.

“Those players that are coming into the side this weekend know they have a big responsibility to the shirt, to maintain momentum and back up the good work that the team has put in in previous weeks – the boys have worked hard in the last five games to keep us in a strong position for a play-off place and they deserve a lot of credit.”

The Scarlets open the big regional rugby occasion on Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm against the Dragons who play their first ever game at the Millennium Stadium – and with the Scarlets having everything to play for as they race for a semi-final place with just four games remaining.

It’s a tight race to the finish with the Scarlets currently tied with 4th placed Ospreys on 54 points with Leinster at the top of the table on 63, Glasgow 2nd on 62 with third place Ulster also on 62 points.

Scarlets have won their last nine encounters against the Dragons in the RaboDirect PRO12. Dragons have lost their last six encounters with fellow Welsh regions in the PRO12 since beating Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade on 15th March 2012.

The Scarlets have won five of their last six matches in all competitions – their only loss 5-32 to Leinster at the RDS on 23 February. The West Wales region has been the strongest in Welsh derbies winning 11 of their last 13 contests with fellow Welsh regions in all tournaments.

This will be the second time that the Scarlets have visited the Millennium Stadium; their previous visit a thrilling semi-final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup, when the Scarlets beat Bath there 27-26. Playing on that day were current coaches Simon Easterby and Attack Coach Mark Jones as well as Scarlets international hooker Matthew Rees.

Easterby said an exciting finish to the season was really building: “It’s all very tight and you could see how quickly it changes; so we just have to concentrate on wining these four games ahead of us.

“We still have to play Glasgow and a lot of the top placed sides still have to play each other – so it’s going to be about points taken from taken from sides as well as the ones you win. We are in the mix and it’s great that there is still so much to play for in the short amount of games left; we have potentially a really good run in.”

Scarlets Team v Newport Gwent DragonsSaturday 30th March 2013 kick off 2.30pm at the Millennium Stadium; 15 Gareth Owen, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Phil John, 2 Matthew Rees, 3 Samson Lee, 4 George Earle, 5 Johan Synman, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Rob McCusker (capt).

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Josh Turnbull, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.

Injured Scarlets players not available for selection include: Rhys Priestland (Achilles), Tavis Knoyle (wrist), Jordan Williams (pectoral), Richard Kelly (hand).