Scrum-half Archie Hughes will lead the Scarlets for the first time in Saturday’s pre-season clash with Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road (15:00).
Hughes skippers a team containing three debutants – new signings Blair Murray, Marnus van der Merwe and Max Douglas.
Murray starts on the left wing with Ellis Mee, who featured in the win over Carmarthen Quins last weekend, on the right. Wales international Tom Rogers is at full-back.
Macs Page and new Wales cap Eddie James make up an exciting young midfield pairing, while Ioan Lloyd partners Hughes at half-back.
In the front row, Sam O’Connor is handed the No. 1 jersey, alongside van der Merwe and Sam Wainwright,
Jac Price packs down with Douglas at lock, while Jarrod Taylor, Dan Davis and Vaea Fifita make up the back row.
Wales hooker Ryan Elias is named on a replacements’ bench containing a number of exciting young talents.
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “The boys have worked hard and it’s the first opportunity for a lot of them to get a bit of match intensity in the build-up to the start of the URC season. We will use this next two weeks to integrate our squad and I’m looking forward to playing against quality opposition, starting this week at Welford Road.”
On the decision to give the armband to 21-year-old Hughes, Peel added: “Archie is someone we want to grow in our leadership group so it is exciting to see how he goes captaining the team.”
Scarlets team to play Leicester Tigers (Mattioli Woods Welford Road; 15:00)
15 Tom Rogers; 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Macs Page, 12 Eddie James, 11 Blair Murray; 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Archie Hughes (capt); 1 Sam O’Connor, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 3 Sam Wainwright, 4 Jac Price, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Dan Davis, 8 Vaea Fifita.
Reps: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Jamie Hughes, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Will Evans, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 22 Will Plessis, 23 Efan Jones, 24 Charlie Titcombe, 25 Gabe McDonald, 26 Jac Davies, 25 Iori Badham
