SCARLETS: 18-year-old Carwyn Leggatt-Jones handed the ten shirt for Stormers clash in Cape Town

Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 18, starts at fly-half as the Scarlets take on the DHL Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (3pm UK time).

It is his first URC appearance of the season, and one of six changes from the side that beat Newcastle Red Bulls 47-14 at Parc y Scarlets last weekend.

Director of rugby Nigel Davies says the young fly-half has “earned his opportunity through the way he’s trained and developed”.

Joe Hawkins in for Johnny Williams, who has a calf strain

Joe Hawkins returns at inside centre in place of Johnny Williams, and partners Joe Roberts in midfield.

“Johnny’s got a bit of a calf pull. We’re monitoring that situation. We’re hoping he’ll be available for next week,” Davies said.

Gabe McDonald, the 21-year-old Burry Port centre who impressed in pre-season, is also in the squad in South Africa.

“If he needs to step into that role, I’ll be more than comfortable with that. It’ll be a good opportunity for him as well,” Davies said.

Dane Blacker comes in at scrum-half, with Wales international Gareth Anscombe on the bench.

“Having someone of Joe Hawkins’s experience alongside him will be important. Gareth (Anscombe) has been excellent within our environment and will have a significant role to play as the game unfolds,” Davies said.

Ioan Nicholas at full-back, with Macs Page on the left wing

Ioan Nicholas makes his first URC appearance of the season at full-back, with Ioan Jones on the right wing and Macs Page on the left.

Page was left out of Steve Tandy’s Wales squad this week, days after scoring twice against Newcastle.

Sam Costelow, Ryan Elias, Eddie James, Ellis Mee and Blair Murray all stayed at home when the club named its 30-man squad for South Africa. The club says it’s a planned period of recovery for all five.

Taine Plumtree starts as Sam Lousi moves to the second row

Kemsley Mathias, John McKee and Harri O’Connor keep their places in the front row.

Sam Lousi moves from blindside to the second row alongside Alex Groves, who comes up against his former Stormers team-mates.

Taine Plumtree starts at blindside, with Fletcher Anderson at number eight and captain Josh Macleod, who went off late against Newcastle, at openside.

Corey Domachowski fit for the Bulls, but no date for Archer Holz

Corey Domachowski, back from the chest injury he picked up against Saracens, is not in the 23 but expects to be fit for the Bulls.

“He’s assured me that he’ll be fit for next week. He’s trained well today and in good voice. He’s a good character to have around the group. He’s got a good edge,” Davies said.

“We’re up against a big pack this week. It’ll be slightly bigger next week.”

Tight-head prop Archer Holz, who was unavailable when Davies spoke about bringing in cover at tight-head last month, is back at the club this week. Davies hopes he could be available after the coming break, but he isn’t setting a date.

“We’re not putting any pressure on it; we’ll just have to wait and see about that. We’re looking at other options there as well,” he said.

Archie Hughes in line for his 50th Scarlets appearance

Isaac Murray-Macgregor is in line for his URC debut off the bench, and hooker George Roberts for his first appearance of the season.

Scrum-half Archie Hughes will make his 50th appearance for the club if he comes on.

Gareth Davies, who started against Newcastle, is not in the 23, and neither is new signing Tom Allen.

“Tom Allen is with us. It was probably a little bit early to involve him,” Davies said.

Stormers in Cape Town, then the Bulls in Pretoria

The game at the DHL Stadium is live on Premier Sports. The Scarlets face the Bulls in Pretoria a week later, on Saturday, 31 October.

Scarlets team v DHL Stormers

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Ioan Jones, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Macs Page; 10 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 9 Dane Blacker; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 John McKee, 3 Harri O’Connor, 4 Alex Groves, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Fletcher Anderson.

Replacements: 16 George Roberts, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Harvey Cuckson, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Isaac Murray-Macgregor.