| Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Saturday, 23 March Kick off: 15:00 GMT |
| Coverage: Live on S4C and via iPlayer. Live updates on BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru. Match report and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on Scrum V, Sunday, BBC Two Wales and online, Sunday, 24 March from 18:00 GMT and later on demand. |
Scarlets have recalled half-a-dozen Wales Six Nations players as they and Benetton renew United Rugby Championship rivalries in Llanelli on Saturday.
Sam Costelow makes his third Scarlets fly-half appearance as half-back partner Gareth Davies leads the hosts.
Tom Rogers returns after injury at wing with Ioan Lloyd at full-back, but centre Joe Roberts (knee) is out.
Props Kemsley Mathias and Harri O’Connor also return for Scarlets.
O’Connor made his Wales debut off the bench as Italy consigned Warren Gatland’s side to the Wooden Spoon in Cardiff last Saturday.
In Roberts’ absence, fellow Wales international Jonathan Davies partners Johnny Williams in midfield.
Ryan Elias suffered a hamstring problem during the Six Nations and that rules him out of a Scarlets return.
Another of Gatland’s squad, Kieran Hardy, is scrum-half cover on the bench, two appearances short of 100 for the west Wales region who lost 26-10 at Connacht in their last match.
Benetton boss Marco Bortolami has opted to rest the Italy stars who helped beat Wales in Cardiff last weekend with Ignacio Brex and centre partner Tommaso Menoncello among those absent.
Benetton start round 12 in the eighth and final play-off spot, despite losing their last two games at Leinster and at home against Glasgow.
They have won just once at Parc y Scarlets in fourteen previous visits, a 41-17 victory in May 2013.
Scarlets have not won at home since beating Cardiff 31-25 in November and their last victory in any competition also came against Cardiff, at the Arms Park in December, leaving them 14th out of 16 in the URC.
“We have five home games left out of seven this season, there are plenty of points to be played for,” said Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel.
“The boys are excited about this weekend, they are positive and looking forward to firing some shots.
“It is important we go out and play with a bit of style and how we know we can play. The fans want to see us trying to express ourselves and that is definitely what we want to do.”
Bortolami said: “The line-up is influenced by the fact that several players returning from their commitments with Italy in the Six Nations are rested.
“In any case, I believe that we had good preparation and the boys who were back and available trained very well; I’m happy with that.”
Scarlets: Ioan Lloyd; Tom Rogers, Jonathan Davies, Johnny Williams, Tomi Lewis; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies (capt); Kemsley Mathias, Shaun Evans, Harri O’Connor, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Teddy Leatherbarrow, Dan Davis, Vaea Fifita.
Replacements: Eduan Swart, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Morgan Jones, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Kieran Hardy, Eddie James, Steff Evans.
Benetton: Rhyno Smith; Ignacio Mendy, Malakai Fekitoa, Filippo Drago, Onisi Ratave; Jacob Umaga, Andy Uren; Federico Zani, Siua Maile, Simone Ferrari, Iachizzi Edoardo, Iachizzi Edoardo, Eli Snyman (capt), Alessandro Izekor, Toa Halafihi, Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Ivan Nemer, Tiziano Pasquali, Riccardo Favretto, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Garbisi, Tomas Albornoz, Leonardo Marin.
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)
Assistant referees: Rhys Jones & Elliot Mayor (WRU)
TMO: Frank Murphy (IRFU)
