Scarlets, who were the only Welsh team to qualify for the play-offs last season, currently lie 14th and are out of contention, whilst Cardiff, who missed out by just a point in the last campaign, are sixth.
The West Wallians, however, are not going to make life easy for their opposition for the remaining four matches of the season, with Interim Director of Rugby Nigel Davies focusing on the building blocks for a long-term vision for the club.
“The most important thing for us is to lay the platform for Scarlets in the longer term,” said Davies in his pre-match press conference.
“We are keen to put in a big performance. This is all about us. I wish Cardiff and all the Welsh regions all the best and it would be negative of me not to.
“They are fighting hard for the play-offs and are desperate for a victory after a good season. But we have to be the best we can be and only worry about us and not others.”
Davies insists there is still something to play for this season, with other Welsh derbies against Ospreys and Dragons to follow the visit of Cardiff, and has named a strong side which sees returns for both James and Plumtree for the first time since the Six Nations after shoulder issues.
In all the Scarlets side shows four personnel and one positional change from the team that took the field against Leinster in Dublin last time out, with Elias coming back into the front-row and there is a reshuffle in the back row.
Plumtree starts at blindside flanker; Jarrod Taylor switches to openside, with Kiwi Fletcher Anderson, fresh from signing a new deal at the Scarlets, wearing the number eight jersey, as well as the captain’s armband. Regular skipper Josh Macleod continues to recover from a hamstring injury and misses out.
With three home games and enthralling derbies with Ospreys to Dragons to come, Davies is keen for his side to finish the season strongly for the fan base.
“These derbies are important to our supporters and stakeholders,” said Davies.
“There is nothing quite like it and long may they last. Equally as important is we look to the standards we set ourselves as we look to the future as a Scarlets side.
“Our performances have to reflect that. We can’t just turn up next season and perform at a level, we have to set the standards now in the next four games.”
15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Eddie James, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker, 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Archer Holz, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jarrod Taylor, 8 Fletcher Anderson (captain).
Replacements:
16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Jac Price, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Joe Roberts.
[Lead image: Scarlets Rugby]
