Scarlets clinch superb win against 14-man Bulls

United Rugby Championship: Scarlets v Bulls

Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Friday, 18 October Kick off: 19:35 BST

Coverage: Scrum V Live, BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app. Highlights BBC Sport website and app.

Scarlets pair Ryan Elias and Max Douglas return to the starting side for the United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Bulls in Llanelli on Friday night.

Lock Douglas has recovered from illness after missing the 24-15 victory against Cardiff.

He will line up in the back row with Dan Davis dropping to the replacements bench, while hookers Elias and Marnus van der Merwe swap roles.

Bulls make eight changes from the side that beat Ospreys, including Harold Vorster replacing David Kriel at inside centre. Kriel is not included in the matchday 23 despite the repeal of the red card he received in Swansea.

The South Africans also recall full-back Henry Immelman and scrum-half Zak Burger.

There are five changes in the pack, number eight Cameron Hanekom, blind-side flanker Nama Xaba, lock Cobus Wiese, loose-head prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels and hooker Akker Van de Merwe who captains the side.

Scarlets' win at Cardiff last weekend was their first of the season, though they also drew their opening game of the campaign at Benetton and lost by a single point at home against Connacht.

They have not won at home since beating Benetton in March and have lost their last four fixtures against South African opponents.

Bulls have won all three matches so far in URC this season, including a win in Swansea last weekend against Ospreys.

Their only defeat away from home in their last five trips was a visit to Leinster in March.

The South African side's only defeat by a Welsh region since joining the URC a was 37-28 loss on their one previous visit to Parc y Scarlets in January 2023.

Scarlets' South African forward coach Albert van den Berg has played under Bulls coach Jake White.

“The Bulls have got a great team, a lot of Springboks," said van den Berg.

"They are physical, have a good scrum, good maul, their counter attack is also really good. I know Jake well.

"He will get them fired up, he has said in the media that this is their year to perform, they will have the right mindset.

"But we will be ready for them, we like to take on the big teams and the big players, all the guys will be fired up for this one.”

Bulls head coach Jake White said: "[Scarlets] are the one Welsh team that has beaten us. They did not only beat Cardiff last week but drew with Benetton also, so they are a difficult team that we take seriously.

“Every game we play as a franchise is important. It doesn’t matter whether we are playing at home or away. Whenever we wear our club jersey, there is an expectation to win."

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Ioan Lloyd, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Max Douglas, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe. Alec Hepburn, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Dan Davis, Efan Jones, Sam Costelow, Macs Page.

Bulls: Henry Immelman; Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Boeta Chamberlain, Zak Burger; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Akker van der Merwe (capt), Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Cobus Wiese, Kuyenzeka Xaba, Reinhardt Ludwig, Cameron Hanekom

Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Dylan Smith, Francois Klopper, JF van Heerden, Celimpilo Gumede, Embrose Papier, Chris Barend Smit, Stedman Gans

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

Assistant referees: Craig Evans & Nathan James (WRU)

TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)