The 20-year-old Tenby product gets the nod with Gareth Davies rested, whilst Dan Davis returns from injury and Jac Price earns a start at lock.
All of Hughes’s 12 previous appearances for the Scarlets have come off the bench, but at the Stade Marcel-Michelin the Wales under-20 international will run out with the number nine jersey on his back.
The backline is otherwise unchanged from the 13-12 defeat to the Dragons at Rodney Parade with Ioan Lloyd, Tom Rogers and Steff Evans making up the back three and Joe Roberts and Johnny Williams continuing in midfield.
Sam Costelow is again named at fly-half and will make his 50th Scarlets appearance.
Up front Kemsley Mathias, Ryan Elias and Sam Wainwright again pack down in the front row, while Price partners Alex Craig at lock.
Davis has recovered from an ankle injury and starts at openside flanker so skipper Josh Macleod switches to blindside. Vaea Fifita is again selected at number eight.
Head coach Dwayne Peel has opted for a six-two split on the bench. Shaun Evans, who can cover hooker and back-row, is another who will make his 50th Scarlets appearance if he comes on.
Peel feels that now is the right time to give Hughes his deserved chance to shine, whilst also having one eye on selection next month for when Davies and Kieran Hardy are likely to be absent on international duty.
“He [Archie] deserves to play, he’s been training the house down and it’s unfortunate for him we’ve got two international scrum-halves,” said Peel.
“We have done a bit of rotation with our nine’s and we think he’s one that’s going to flourish. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to play him.
“Dan Davies is back in the mix for us, which is good news because he is someone that gives us a bit of spark.
“There is a couple who won’t travel, but we will have a good side to go out there and play. Sam Lousi won’t be there though [through injury].”
Scarlets XV to face Clermont Auvergne
15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Steff Evans; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Archie Hughes.
1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Sam Wainwright, 4 Alex Craig, 5 Jac Price,
6 Josh Macleod (captain), 7 Dan Davis, 8 Vaea Fifita.
Replacements:
16 Eduan Swart, 17 Steff Thomas, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Morgan Jones, 20 Ben Williams,
21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Ioan Nicholas, 23 Shaun Evans.
[Lead image: Scarlets Rugby]
