Scarlets rest Samson Lee and DTH van der Merwe for two weeks

Samson Lee played in all five of Wales' games at the World Cup, starting in three

Scarlets will rest Samson Lee and DTH van der Merwe for two weeks, ruling both out of Friday's home Pro12 game with Newport Gwent Dragons.

Wales prop Lee, 22, played in all five World Cup games at tight-head, while wing Van der Merwe scored in all four of Canada's games.

Van der Merwe has scored three tries in his first two Scarlets games.

He and Lee also sit out the game away at Leinster on 6 November, but will return for their European campaign.

"It's part of the process we've gone through with individuals," head coach Wayne Pivac told BBC Wales Sport.

"We asked DTH to do a job for us over those two weeks [the wins against Leinster and Munster] and he's having a good break, well-earned.

"We've got to look at the big picture when we discuss these things and hopefully it's the right thing to do at this time of the season.

DTH van der Merwe has scored three tries in his first two Scarlets games

"Samson's come back from that injury [a ruptured Achilles tendon that ruled him out for six months], did really well to come back and has had a workload with Wales.

"We want to give him a couple of weeks to freshen up and we'll be working behind the scenes on his match fitness so we think the time's right there."

Scrum-half Gareth Davies and hooker Ken Owens also featured in every World Cup game, while lock Jake Ball was used less by Wales.

"It depends on how much game time they've had and the volume of work at training, and what injuries they've had and come back from," Pivac added.

"It's a decision we take collectively with the medical staff, the trainers, the player themselves and ourselves as coaches."

Flanker Aaron Shingler is available to face Dragons after missing the Munster game through concussion, while fellow back-row Lewis Rawlins is also back in training despite a head injury against Munster.

Wales wing Harry Robinson has completed his comeback from neck surgery with a start for Llanelli RFC.

New signing Michael Collins, a Welsh-qualified centre or full-back from Otago, New Zealand, could also come into contention depending on how quickly he settles in.