Morgan, Lake, and Thomas are set to boost the Ospreys by returning, but several others will be touch and go for the game after a grueling contest in the victory over Connacht last weekend.
Jones would be coy with his selection with only James Fender ruled out of the contest with injury having picked up a head injury last weekend, whilst scrum-half Ruben Morgan-Williams is set to be assessed late on a shoulder problem.
Now with his batteries fully charged, Jones is certain that his captain will provide the energy to drive on his teammates by leading from the front.
“He will be back in and around the group for this game,” said Jones in his pre-match press conference.
“He’s had a good down week, got some sun, and mentally switched off from all things rugby and has come back in with a huge amount of energy.
“He tells me it [the break] was just what he needed, and he feels good off the back of it. It’s one thing to have a player’s name on the team sheet, but you want the player to feel at their best.
“You’ve got to have a lot of energy around derbies. He’s one of the guys that feeds the rest of the group and gives a lot of other players energy as well as himself.”
The Ospreys, who clinched a last-gasp one-point win over the Scarlets back in December are seventh in the table after their dramatic 43-40 triumph over Connacht last weekend.
The result has seen the two Welsh regions swap places in the table but despite the contrasting form, Jones feels his side will have to be at their best to clinch victory over his former side.
“I’m really excited for the game and looking forward to it,” continued Jones.
“There’s a huge amount of energy around this fixture for both sides, especially from the supporters. Having 10,000 there will produce a great atmosphere and hopefully energise our players as well.
“Derby matches are historically just one-off games. They swing on small moments where the smallest of things can make a big difference.
“There will be a lot of emotion going around and we really respect what the Scarlets have got in their locker.
“We played them at home last time and whilst we outscored them three tries to one, they led on the scoreboard for nearly all of the game through taking their penalties and small opportunities.
“We know that a win this week will certainly do ourselves no harm. Any points will be good in the grand scheme of things.
“I don’t think you can look into any past games or future games. We will just be focusing on this game in isolation and once this one is done and dusted, we will focus on the next one.
“We are very aware, regardless of recent results, all be it very close that things could be very different.
“We are preparing for the best Scarlets performance of the season, if you don’t, you come unstuck in a derby.”
Ospreys XV to face Scarlets:
Iestyn Hopkins; Luke Morgan, Evardi Boshoff, Owen Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy;
Gareth Thomas, George McGuigan, Ben Warren, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Tristan Davies,
Jac Morgan (captain), Morgan Morris.
Replacements:
Dewi Lake, Steffan Thomas, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Morgan Morse, Luke Davies, Phil Cokanasiga, Max Nagy
[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]
