100 up for Wyn Jones on second Welsh derby day

David Skippers
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Two PRO14 games are scheduled for Friday with Scarlets and Cardiff Blues hosting Dragons and Ospreys respectively.

Scarlets v Dragons

Prop Wyn Jones will become the latest player to reach a century of Scarlets appearances when he runs out against the Dragons at Parc y Scarlets on New Year’s Day.

Jones is in his eighth season with the Scarlets having made his debut in an Anglo-Welsh clash with Gloucester in 2014. The Llandovery product is named in a side showing six changes to the starting XV that took the field for the win over the Ospreys on Boxing Day.

Angus O’Brien, who scored the match-winning try against Ospreys, again starts at full-back. Wales international Liam Williams was close to making his return from an ankle injury but has been given a bit more time to get up to full fitness.

O’Brien is joined in the back three by another ex-Dragon, Tom Prydie, and Steff Evans. Tom Rogers is ruled out with a knee injury. Tyler Morgan, who made the switch from Rodney Parade in the summer, partners skipper Steff Hughes in midfield, while Dan Jones and Kieran Hardy continue at half-back.

The front-row of Jones, Ryan Elias and Javan Sebastian is again retained, while Sam Lousi returns after being absent for the last two weeks and packs down alongside Jake Ball in the second-row.

There is an all-new back-row trio. Blade Thomson, outstanding off the bench against Ospreys, gets the nod at blindside; Sione Kalamafoni returns at number eight, while Dan Davis comes in at openside for his first PRO14 start of the campaign. Davis replaces Josh Macleod, who picked up a slight ankle injury in the second half of the Ospreys win.

There are two changes among the replacements. Ed Kennedy covers the back-row, while Paul Asquith comes in as back-line cover alongside Sam Costelow and Gareth Davies.

Two changes from Dragons

Meanwhile, Wales internationals Nick Tompkins and Leon Brown return to Dragons’ starting line-up for this Welsh derby.

Dragons boss Dean Ryan makes just two changes to the side that narrowly lost the opening derby of the festive season to Cardiff Blues.

Tompkins, who missed the Boxing Day game on compassionate leave, is back to partner Jack Dixon in midfield. The fixture will be a memorable one for Dixon who will make his 100th PRO14 appearance.

Brown returns up front, where he packs down alongside Brok Harris and Elliot Dee. Back-row Harrison Keddie is named captain.

Scrum-half and former Scarlet Rhodri Williams is called onto the bench after missing Boxing Day while there is also a return for lock Joe Davies.

A number of players are self-isolating due to community transmissions, including centre Jamie Roberts who misses the New Year derby game.

The teams:

Scarlets: 15 Angus O’Brien, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Steff Hughes (c), 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Blade Thomson, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Javan Sebastian, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Phil Price, 18 Pieter Scholtz, 19 Tevita Ratuva, 20 Ed Kennedy, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Paul Asquith

Dragons: 15 Jonah Holmes, 14 Owen Jenkins, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Ashton Hewitt, 10 Josh Lewis, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Taine Basham, 6 Harrison Keddie, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Leon Brown, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Brok Harris
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Aaron Jarvis, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Joe Davies, 20 Huw Taylor, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Aneurin Owen, 23 Evan Lloyd

Venue: Parc y Scarlets
Kick-off: 17:15 GMT
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Adam Jones (Wales), Gwyn Morris (Wales)
TMO: Wayne Davies (Wales)

Cardiff Blues v Ospreys

Cardiff Blues have made seven changes for their New Year’s Day derby against Ospreys at Cardiff City Stadium.

John Mulvihill’s side will be looking to make it two from two in this season’s festive encounters, having claimed a gritty victory over Dragons at Rodney Parade on Boxing Day.

Two internationals are welcomed into the backline, with Samoa star Rey Lee-Lo returning to the midfield to partner Garyn Smith.

Tomos Williams replaces fellow international scrum-half, Lloyd Williams, in the number nine jersey while Jason Tovey comes in at fly-half.

There is a new-look prop partnership in the front-row as Dmitri Arhip replaces Dillon Lewis on the tighthead, while Rhys Carré is given the nod at loosehead, making his first start of the season for the region.

Rory Thornton pairs up with Seb Davies in the boiler room, while Shane Lewis-Hughes returns to the starting XV, joining James Botham and Josh Turnbull in the back-row.

21 of the matchday squad are Welsh qualified, with a total of 13 coming through the Cardiff Blues academy system.

Willis Halaholo and Liam Belcher return from injuries to take their place on the bench for the Leckwith encounter.

Fly-half Luke Scully, who arrived at the capital from Worcester Warriors over the summer, could be in line for a debut against the side he represented at age grade rugby.

Justin Tipuric leads Ospreys

Meanwhile, Justin Tipuric will lead the Ospreys out for the first time in 2021, lining up alongside last weekend’s tackle machine Dan Lydiate and Sam Cross in the back-row.

Adam Beard and Rhys Davies form the second-row partnership with Rhodri Jones, Ifan Phillips and Ma’afu Fia up front. Off the bench Scott Otten, Nicky Smith and Tom Botha provide the cover up front with Lloyd Ashley and Will Griffiths completing the forward contingent.

Stephen Myler retains the number 10 jersey, lining up alongside Rhys Webb.

An unchanged backline sees Dan Evans at full-back alongside George North and Luke Morgan with Keiran Williams and Scott Williams partnering in the centre.

Last week’s try-scorer Reuben Morgan-Williams is on the bench alongside Tiaan Thomas Wheeler and Mat Protheroe to complete the matchday 23.

The teams:

Cardiff Blues: 15 Hallam Amos, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Garyn Smith, 11 Aled Summerhill, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Josh Turnbull, 7 James Botham, 6 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Rhys Carré
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 James Ratti, 20 Alun Lawrence, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Luke Scully, 23 Willis Halaholo

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 George North, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Sam Cross, 7 Justin Tipuric (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Rhys Davies, 4 Adam Beard, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Ifan Phillips, 1 Rhodri Jones
Replacements: 16 Scott Otten, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Lloyd Ashley, 20 Will Griffiths, 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Tiaan Thomas Wheeler, 23 Mat Protheroe

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Kick-off: 19:35 GMT
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Dan Jones (Wales)
TMO: Rhys Thomas (Wales)

 

Cardiff Rugby