Llanelli have wheeled out the Scarlets big guns for tomorrow’s crucial clash with Bridgend as they look to secure their Premiership future.
Familiar regional figures Paul Asquith, Tom Prydie, Dan Davis and Steff Hughes have all been named in the starting line-up for the Brewery Field encounter, along with fellow Scarlet squad members Morgan Williams, Declan Smith and Rhys Fawcett.
Aussie centre Asquith and Wales U20s flanker Davis will both be making their first Premiership appearances of the season.
These will be the fifth outings for Welsh international winger Prydie, Exeter-bound lock Price and full-back Williams.
Scarlets centre Hughes lines up at fly-half, as he has done during his six previous appearances for the club this season.
It’s a huge game for both teams in the scramble to avoid relegation from the Premiership, which is being cut from 16 to 12 sides.
The bottom four will go down automatically and the 12th placed club will then face Championship winners Pontypool in a play-off.
Neath are already relegated, with Bargoed and Cross Keys looking in serious danger of joining them.
You then have three clubs - Bridgend, Bedwas and Llanelli - covered by just five points.
The Ravens are currently in the drop zone, but have two games in hand on 12th-placed Bargoed and three in hand on 11th-placed Llanelli.
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So it’s a pivotal game at the Brewery Field tomorrow evening, with both sides desperate to avoid going down to a division that will have a huge impact on their futures.
Llanelli are on a bit of a roll, having won their last three league games to move out of the relegation zone.
Bridgend, who lost 31-24 at Bedwas last weekend, also have regional players on duty via the Ospreys.
Moldovan prop Gheorghe Gajion and Wales U20s fly-half Cai Evans both start, along with Academy wingers Caine Woolerton and Dewi Cros, while scrum-half Harri Morgan is on the bench.
The rules are that Premiership clubs are allowed to field four regional players on permit, plus any regional players registered with them before the January cut-off point.
Bridgend coach Matt Silva is hoping the nature of tomorrow’s televised fixture will bring out the best in his team.
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“There’s an element of motivation in that they are going up against quality regional players,” he said.
“Our destiny is in our own hands with the games we have got left.
“We are fully aware how important it is to stay up.
“It would so hard to come back up from the Championship.
“So this is a huge game for us.”
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Bridgend: Owen Howe; Caine Woolerton, Nathan Edwards (capt), Jamie Murphy, Dewi Cross; Cai Evans, Chris Williams; Ollie Evans, Gareth Harvey, Gheorghe Gajion, James Little, Ben Jones, Tom Morgan, Jordan Collier, Adam O’Driscoll.
Replacements: Owen Thomas, Owen Jordan, Cai Lewis, Owain Lloyd, Dafi Davies, Harri Morgan, Morgan Jones, Stuart Floyd Ellis.
Llanelli: Morgan Williams; Tom Prydie, Ryan Davies, Paul Asquith, Kalum Evans; Steff Hughes, Declan Smith; Rhys Fawcett, Taylor Davies (capt), Gareth Havard, Chris Long, Tom Price, Ellis Thomas, Joe Miles, Dan Davies.
Replacements: Rhys Cherry, Craig Thomas, Richard Bassett, Elliott Rees, Joel James, Gareth George, Ioan Hughes, Jonny Lewis.
Kick-off: 5.30pm
