United Rugby Championship: Cardiff Rugby v Scarlets (Sun)

Liam Williams (right) was sent off when these teams met last season, with Cardiff beating Scarlets 29-20

Cardiff and Scarlets both welcome back a host of first-team players from quarantine for their Boxing Day derby.

The two sides had to self-isolate after returning from South Africa.

As a result, Scarlets have not played a competitive game since October, while Cardiff have had to field a makeshift side of academy players and semi-pros.

This will be the first match to be held behind closed doors as the Welsh government tightens restrictions to combat Covid-19's Omicron variant.

Cardiff say they "explored alternative options, including the postponement of the fixture until crowds were permitted" but added "permission from URC [United Rugby Championship] was not granted".

Welsh rugby's other Boxing Day derby in the URC, between Ospreys and Dragons, had already been called off because of Covid-19 cases in the Ospreys camp.

Lloyd Williams and Rhys Priestland will start at half-back for Cardiff, with Ben Thomas partnering Rey Lee-Lo in midfield.

James Botham, who impressed in the Champions Cup after returning from injury, retains his starting spot but moves to number eight, with Will Boyde starting at openside.

Corey Domachowski, Kirby Myhill and Dmitri Arhip all return to the front row, while Owen Lane and Matthew Morgan rejoin Josh Adams in the back three.

• Festive sport goes behind closed doors in Wales to combat Covid-19

• Scarlets coach Peel to miss Cardiff derby

• Scarlets in contract talks with McNicholl

Wales full-back Liam Williams makes his first appearance of the season for Scarlets.

The British and Irish Lion missed the start of the campaign after having his appendix removed but returned to action for his country during the autumn.

Denied his comeback when last weekend's Champions Cup match against Bordeaux was postponed, flanker Josh Macleod is poised to make his first appearance since rupturing his Achilles in February.

Wales fly-half Rhys Patchell is set to make his first competitive appearance since October 2020 after being named among the replacements.

Also on the bench, 21-year-old tight-head prop Harri O'Connor is in line to make his URC debut.

Teams

Cardiff: Morgan; Lane, Lee-Lo, Thomas, Adams; Priestland, L Williams; Domachowski, Myhill, Arhip, Davies, Screech, Jenkins (capt.), Boyde, Botham.

Replacements: Belcher, Thyer, Davies-King, Ratti, Lewis-Hughes, T Williams, Evans, Harries.

Scarlets: L Williams; McNicholl, J Davies (capt), S Williams, Conbeer; D Jones, G Davies; Evans, Elias, Sebastian, Lousi, Price, Thomson, Macleod, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: M Jones, W Jones, O'Connor, Shingler, Lezana, Hardy, Patchell, Nicholas.

Match officials

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales).

Assistant referees: Aled Evans and Mike English (Wales).

TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales).