Hughes starts at Sharks in Scarlets play-off bid
United Rugby Championship: Sharks v ScarletsVenue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban Date: Saturday, 17 May Kick off: 18:30 BSTCoverage: Watch live S4C coverage via iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app. Highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.
Scrum-half Archie Hughes will make only his fourth senior start as Scarlets bid to reach the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs in their final regular season game at Sharks on Saturday.The 22-year-old - whose only start this season was in the European Challenge Cup at Gloucester - comes in for injured Wales international Gareth Davies. Centre Joe Roberts, who also left the field in discomfort in last weekend's stunning win at Lions, has recovered to make his 50th appearance for the Scarlets, who make one other change.Hooker Ryan Elias rotates in for Marnus van der Merwe, who was this week named in an upcoming Springboks' alignment camp.South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth is fit to captain Sharks having recovered from a knock to the leg in their victory over Ospreys.Head coach John Plumtree though makes four changes to his pack, including the return of international prop Ox Nche, though Sprinkbok legend Siya Kolisi drops out of the 23.
By the time Scarlets visit Sharks on Saturday evening, their top-eight spot may already be secured.As it stands, after successive wins against Ospreys, Dragons, Leinster and Lions, Dwayne Peel's side know a single match point in Durban would be enough to extend their season."There are a lot of things that can happen before our game, but the key for us is that our destiny is in our own hands," said Peel. "The Sharks have been going well, they are a team stacked full of Springboks so to get what we need is going to take a big effort."
Even if Scarlets get nothing from their final game, they will qualify for the knockouts should Edinburgh fail to get maximum points and either Cardiff or Munster lose.If Benetton pick up two losing points and Scarlets achieve no points, it would come down to points difference - and Scarlets have a 130-point advantage over their Italian rivals as it stands.Sharks are fourth in the table, already guaranteed a home quarter-final - but will be keen to leapfrog Glasgow one point above them as that is likely to mean an away semi-final in Pretoria as opposed to a trip to Europe.The Durban side have won their last three URC matches since their only home defeat of the season, 7-10 against Leinster in March."The challenge for us is matching their physicality, that will be key," added Peel."But as much as knowing the quality in their side, this is about ourselves, we are comfortable with how we want to play and it is about being able to replicate last week's performance this week. "We are prepping as normal, we want to try and get a result, we want to keep the momentum we have built having won our last four games." Scarlets have not won five in a row since November 2017, while last weekend's win at Lions ended a run of five successive defeats on visits to South Africa.
Sharks: Aphelele Fassi; Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Siya Masuku, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth (capt), Emile van Heerden, Tino Mavesere, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi.Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Jason Jenkins, Nick Hatton, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe.Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Archie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page.Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)Assistant referees: Griffin Colby & Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
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