Twenty-year-old centre Macs Page is handed his first European start for the Scarlets in Friday’s EPCR Challenge Cup round three clash with Gloucester at Kingsholm Stadium (8pm Premier Sports).
The Wales U20s cap is one of six personnel changes to the side that beat Dragons on New Year’s Day.
With Tom Rogers ruled out with a groin issue, Ioan Lloyd slots in at full-back. Blair Murray and Ellis Mee continue on the wings.
Page links up with Eddie James in a youthful midfield. Joe Roberts provides cover from the bench; Johnny Williams is absent with a foot injury.
At half-back, another home-grown young talent, Archie Hughes, gets the nod at scrum-half, partnering Wales international Sam Costelow.
The average age of the Scarlets back division is just less than 22, with Costelow the ‘senior member’ when he turns 24 on Friday.
Up front, Kemsley Mathias is recalled to the loose-head berth and packs down alongside Marnus van der Merwe and Henry Thomas.
Former Gloucester lock Alex Craig partners Max Douglas in the second row, while in the back row, Tonga international Vaea Fifita returns to the No. 8 shirt with Taine Plumtree switching to blindside flanker. Josh Macleod skippers the side.
The bench includes tight-head prop Gabe Hawley, who is set for his tournament debut
Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “Scarlets have a rich history in European competition so whenever it comes around it is always an exciting time for us and our supporters.
“Kingsholm is an awesome place to play rugby, the atmosphere is always good and we’ll have fantastic travelling support as well. This will be a brilliant experience, particularly for the younger players in the squad and an exciting opportunity for us as a group. Yes, we have been competitive this year, but going away to somewhere like Kingsholm where Gloucester have been going well of late, will be a good measure for us.”
Peel added: “We have a real competitive pool in the Challenge Cup, so picking up points is important, particularly away from home, as it always has been in Europe.”
Scarlets team to play Gloucester at Kingsholm Stadium on Friday, January 10 (8pm; Premier Sports)
15 Ioan Lloyd; 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Macs Page, 12 Eddie James, 11 Blair Murray; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Archie Hughes; 1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Alex Craig, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Vaea Fifita
Reps: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Sam Lousi, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Joe Roberts, 23 Ioan Nicholas.
Unavailable because of injury
Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Williams, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Ryan Elias, Tomi Lewis, Harri O’Connor, Josh Morse.
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