SCARLETS: Costelow back at ten as Davies makes five changes for Dragons trip

Sam Costelow will make his first start of the season at Rodney Parade on Saturday, the Wales fly-half one of five changes to the Scarlets side for the United Rugby Championship trip to the Dragons (3pm).

Costelow missed the opening defeat to Cardiff with a head injury picked up against Saracens in pre-season, but has come through the return-to-play protocols and takes the ten jersey in the only change to the back division.

Gareth Anscombe, who made his URC debut for the region in his absence, is not in the 23, with Joe Hawkins providing fly-half cover from the bench.

An all-Wales international front row

The fit-again Kemsley Mathias starts at loose-head and Harri O’Connor at tight-head, either side of Ryan Elias, in a front row of three Wales internationals.

Mathias’ return is the silver lining Nigel Davies pointed to this week when he confirmed Corey Domachowski faces around eight weeks out. “The positive side of that is Kemsley Mathias is now available to us,” the director of rugby said.

Sam O’Connor drops to the bench and Henry Thomas out of the squad after starting against Cardiff.

Groves in, Lousi to lock, Macleod to six

New signing Alex Groves, who came off the bench for his home debut last weekend, starts in the second row alongside Sam Lousi, who switches from blindside flanker. Will Evans drops to the bench and Harvey Cuckson out of the 23.

That brings a reshuffle in the back row. Captain Josh Macleod moves to the number six jersey, Dan Davis comes in at openside after being passed fit this week, and 20-year-old Osian Williams keeps the number eight shirt.

James stays at 12

The back line is otherwise as it was against Cardiff: Blair Murray, Ellis Mee and Macs Page in the back three, Eddie James and Joe Roberts in midfield, and Costelow partnering Dane Blacker at half-back.

James keeps the 12 jersey after a strong derby display, and Davies was relaxed this week about which centre spot suits him.

“He’s capable of playing both. If you asked the Welsh management, they’d probably still see him as the 13,” he said. “The key thing with someone like Eddie is you’ve just got to get him into the game, and you can do that from 12 or 13. As it happened last weekend, we played him at 12 and got him in the game a lot.”

‘Start of his peak’

Davies has made no secret of what Costelow’s return means.

“Over the last couple of years Sam has really matured as a player. I think he’s probably in and around the start of his peak in terms of his playing performance,” he said.

“It’s great to have him back in competition, but we’ve also got Gareth Anscombe, who brings a huge amount of experience into the environment. We’ve also got Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, a ten in a typical west Wales mould. He’s very confident, he’s got a high skill level. So we’ve got real competition in that position.”

Davies and Williams back on the bench

Wales internationals Gareth Davies and Johnny Williams both return among the replacements, Williams having been named as back in contention alongside Davis this week.

The Scarlets go to Newport with a losing bonus point from the Cardiff game, against a Dragons side that drew 19-19 with Benetton in their opener.

Scarlets team to face the Dragons

Scarlets: 15 Blair Murray; 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Macs Page; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Dane Blacker; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Harri O’Connor, 4 Alex Groves, 5 Sam Lousi, 6 Josh Macleod (capt), 7 Dan Davis, 8 Osian Williams.

Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Will Evans, 20 Tristan Davies, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Joe Hawkins, 23 Johnny Williams.