The Scarlets are set to take the wraps off one of Welsh rugby’s brightest prospects when they face London Irish in Saturday's European Challenge Cup match in Llanelli (7.45pm).
Jac Morgan will make his bow in a senior game for the region if he appears off the bench in the clash at Parc y Scarlets.
After much agonising , the back rower has decided to give full-time rugby a go, putting his studies outside the game on hold. He has been serving an apprenticeship with Llansamlet-based Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited, but is now giving the Scarlets his full attention.
There are plenty who expect him to go far in the game .
The powerful 19-year-old made a big impact with Wales at the World Rugby U20s Championship last summer. In particular, the player who figured for Aberavon in the Welsh Premiership last season stood out in the victory over New Zealand.
Wales' captain in that tournament, Dewi Lake, estimated the team had made 11 possession steals in the opening 28 minutes of that game. Most of those would have come from Lake himself, Morgan and fellow back rower Tommy Reffell.
Wales used Morgan at No. 8, but he can also play six and seven, hits hard in the tackle and is strong over the ball.
He captained the Scarlets A team in this season's Celtic Cup. Now comes a potential step up into European rugby.
Brad Mooar hands a debut to Fiji World Cup lock Tevita Ratuva, with Tex, as he is widely known, packing down alongside Steve Cummins.
Other changes see Rob Evans and Werner Kruger feature in the front row, while Kieron Fonotia features at centre and Uzair Cassiem, who has made a big start to the season, lining up at blindside.
Like Morgan, Ryan Lamb could make his debut off the bench.
Toulon and Bayonne make up the rest of Pool 2.
Scarlets : J. McNicholl; C. Baldwin, S. Hughes (capt), K. Fonotia, S. Evans; D. Jones, K. Hardy; R. Evans, T. Davies, W. Kruger, L. Rawlins, T. Ratuva, U. Cassiem, J. Macleod, B. Thomson.
Reps: M. Jones, P. Price, S. Lee, S. Cummins, J. Morgan, D. Blacker, L. Lamb, M. Williams.
