Dan jones to make 150th appearance in Munster clash

Dan Jones will make his 150th Scarlets appearance when BKT United Rugby Championship action resumes on Friday night with the visit of Munster to Parc y Scarlets (19:35 BBC Wales).

The fly-half hasn’t played since the Barbarians match in September, having suffered a serious hamstring tear in pre-season training.

The 28-year-old Carmarthen product made his Scarlets debut 10 years ago and has been a mainstay of the squad ever since.

Jones comes into a much-changed match-day 23 captained for the first time by Tonga international second row Sam Lousi, who makes a welcome return from injury.

Wales international Johnny McNicholl is another to return after a spell on the sidelines. He slots in at full-back in a new-look back three. Tomi Lewis, who impressed off the bench in the Challenge Cup defeat to Edinburgh, is handed the starting jersey on the right wing and the versatile Ioan Nicholas gets the nod on the left.

In the centre, Joe Roberts has been released from Wales duty to partner Eddie James, who returned from injury in the friendly against Exeter Chiefs last weekend.

Jones wears the No. 10 jersey and links up with Archie Hughes, who turned 21 this week.

Up front, Kemsley Mathias is another Six Nations squad member released by Warren Gatland and he packs down in the front row alongside South African Eduan Swart and tight-head Harri O’Connor.

In the second row, Lousi is back after overcoming a calf issue and he partners Alex Craig.

New signing Jarrod Taylor, who arrived this week from the DHL Stormers, goes straight into the starting line-up at blindside flanker. Vaea Fifita continues at eight with Dan Davis at openside.

The bench includes fit-again British and Irish Lions prop Wyn Jones and 18-year-old Wales U20s hooker Harry Thomas, who is in line to make his senior debut. A product of New Dock Stars RFC, Thomas was captain of the Scarlets U18s last season.

Head coach Dwayne Peel said: “We know Munster will be physical and the DNA of the club is that they are very competitive at the breakdown, it will be a big challenge. We are only halfway through the URC season, we have nine games to go, six at home, so we have plenty to play for. For us it is about performances and chasing up as high in the league as we can.”

Scarlets team to play Munster at Parc y Scarlets on Friday, February 16 (19:35)

15 Johnny McNicholl; 14 Tomi Lewis, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Ioan Nicholas; 10 Dan Jones, 9 Archie Hughes; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Eduan Swart, 3 Harri O’Connor, 4 Alex Craig, 5 Sam Lousi (capt), 6 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Dan Davis, 8 Vaea Fifita.

Reps: 16 Harry Thomas, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Jac Price, 20 Teddy Leatherbarrow, 21 Efan Jones, 22 Charlie Titcombe, 23 Steff Evans.

Players unavailable because of injury

Josh Macleod, Tom Rogers, Taine Plumtree, Shaun Evans, Ken Owens, Isaac Young, Ed Scragg.