European Rugby Champions Cup: Scarlets v Ulster preview

Ulster will bid to keep their slender European Rugby Champions Cup hopes alive when they travel to Parc y Scarlets to face Pool Three basement side Scarlets on Sunday.

The Welsh region entered Round Three in second place, but Ulster’s bonus-point victory at Ravenhill last weekend combined with Leicester Tigers’ toppling of reigning European champions Toulon led to wholesale changes in the standings.

Tries from Darren Cave, Ruan Pienaar – donning the No 10 jersey for the first time this season, Tommy Bowe and Rory Best propelled Ulster to a 24-9 victory and sprung their Champions Cup campaign into life as they claimed maximum points.

It is a result that sees Ulster enter Round Four and a rematch against Scarlets with six points, two fewer than Leicester Tigers and three behind pool leaders Toulon.

Scarlets, who had two players sin-binned in Belfast, must address their issues of indiscipline if they are to gain revenge on Ulster this weekend.

In a bid to get off the bottom of the table and gain revenge against Ulster, Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac has made three changes to his starting XV.

Kristian Phillips makes a return on the wing and Rhodri Williams takes the scrum-half mantle while Rob McCusker comes back into the side at No 8.

Experience

Experienced back rower John Barclay hasn't recovered from a thigh haematoma and veteran prop Phil John has undergone surgery to a longstanding knee problem whilst captain Ken Owens and scrum-half Gareth Davies still on the long-term injured list.

Meanwhile, there is better news for Ulster with Luke Marshall recovering from injury in time for the European clash.

The Ireland international centre suffered a knee injury while playing for the Ravens in October and returns to the side at inside-centre.

Marshall’s inclusion is one of three personnel changes and one positional switch with Roger Wilson moving to No 8, Clive Ross named at openside and Ireland international Declan Fitzpatrick selected at tighthead prop.

Stuart Olding also misses the game having suffered concussion in last Saturday’s European Rugby Champions Cup match.

Ruan Pienaar continues at scrum-half alongside Ian Humphreys, Marshall partners last weekend’s man of the match, Darren Cave, in midfield with Louis Ludik at fullback and Ireland internationals Tommy Bowe and Craig Gilroy selected in the back three.

Captain Rory Best is joined by Callum Black and Fitzpatrick in the front row, while Franco van der Merwe has recovered from the head injury he suffered last weekend and is selected in the second row along with Ireland international second row Dan Tuohy.

Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams; 14 Kristian Phillips, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams (capt), 11 Michael Tagicakibau; 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Rhodri Williams; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Emyr Phillips, 3 Samson Lee; 4 Jake Ball, 5 Johan Snyman; 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 Rob McCusker
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 George Earle, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Hadleigh Parkes

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik; 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Luke Marshall, 11 Craig Gilroy; 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Ruan Pienaar; 1 Callum Black, 2 Rory Best (capt), 3 Declan Fitzpatrick, 4 Dan Tuohy, 5 Franco Van Der Merwe, 6 Robbie Diack, 7 Clive Ross, 8 Roger Wilson
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Alan O'Connor, 20 Mike McComish, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Michael Heaney, 23 Michael Allen