Huge test for Peel’s Scarlets as they must face Italians with 22 players unavailable
THE Scarlets face a huge strengthin-depth test when they take on Benetton in the United Rugby Championship at Parc y Scarlets tonight (7.35pm kick-off) with no fewer than 22 players missing.
Dwayne Peel has a dozen of his squad on the injured list and a further 10 on international duty with Wales.
The absentees mean there are wholesale changes from the side which was beaten 50-15 by Leinster in Dublin last Saturday.
Just Ioan Nicholas – a candidate for the top-performing Scarlets player in the Irish capital – and Ryan Conbeer survive behind the scrum, with Sam Lousi, Aaron Shingler and Blade Thomson continuing up front.
Former Wales captain Scott Williams leads from inside centre.
Williams has been in form and was unlucky not to feature in Wayne Pivac’s squad for the autumn Tests, so is likely to have a point to prove against Benetton.
A landmark evening beckons for Shingler and two other Scarlets stalwarts.
Shingler will make his 200th appearance for the west Walians, 14 years after his debut. Versatile and committed, and an outstanding lineout operator, the 34-year-old has been one of the great Scarlets servants, overcoming career-threatening injuries and illnesses to reach his double century. When he isn’t around, he is missed. A lot.
Rob Evans clocks on for the 150th time for his home region, with Steff Hughes completing a century of outings.
Dane Blacker comes in for his first start of the season, partnering Dan Jones at half-back, while Jac Price replaces Lloyd Ashley at lock and Shaun Evans takes over from the injured Tomas Lezana, who impressed on his debut against Leinster.
On the bench, 18-year-old scrumhalf Luke Davies, a talented product of the Scarlets’ academy system, is set for his senior debut.
Head coach Peel is hoping for a response after seeing his team concede 93 points over their last two games, against Munster and Leinster. Some out west are seeing the clash with Benetton as must-win encounter, even though the season is only a few weeks old.
Peel said: “The boys are hurting after the last two results, but with our internationals missing we have boys coming in who have trained hard and are deserving of an opportunity this weekend.”
They can’t afford to be off-beam against this weekend’s opponents, though, with Benetton having beaten the Stormers and Edinburgh so far this term and pushed the Ospreys all the way.