United Rugby Championship: Cardiff v Scarlets (Sat)

Liam Williams in action for Scarlets against Cardiff last season just before he was shown a red card

Scarlets back Liam Williams will line up against the Cardiff side he joins next season in the United Rugby Championship.

Williams is one of five changes to the team that beat Cardiff 35-20 with Jonathan Davies, Ryan Elias, Aaron Shingler and Dan Davis also starting.

Cardiff have made 10 changes with only Rey Lee-Lo, Jarrod Evans, Seb Davies, Matthew Screech and Ellis Jenkins keeping starting spots.

Josh Turnbull returns as captain.

Wales duo Shane Lewis-Hughes and Owen Lane return from injury but British and Irish Lions pair Josh Adams and Josh Navidi are injured.

Back-row pair James Ratti and James Botham are also ruled out because of knee injuries.

Dai warning

After making sweeping changes, Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young warned his side about avoiding a repeat of last weekend.

"You review every area honestly and we've got a good coaching group," said Young.

"There was an honesty chat around that last 60 minutes not being good enough last weekend.

"Everybody recognises we're not where we want to be, and we've got an opportunity to put last week's performance right this week.

"There wasn't the normal energy and enthusiasm we would expect from the players and it's something I'm not prepared to put up with. The players know that.

"My job is to try and get the best out of the squad, I don't think we're achieving that yet.

"What I've said is I've come here wanting to help players get better, but they've got to want to get better also.

"The last 12 months has been trying to raise the bar and improve players. Some have got behind it, some still need a bit of convincing."

Young admitted some were playing for their futures.

"They've got opportunities over the next six months to keep convincing me they should be a part of the plan moving forward," added Young.

"We haven't been higher than seventh in 10 years. All the squad are contracted, so there isn't going to be wholesale changes this season.

"Because of Covid, players took pay cuts and everybody got an extra year because of that. So we're not in a position to make big changes this year if we wanted to.

"They know they've got an opportunity to show they're good enough. It's simple, you work hard to try to change mindsets and convince people but there comes a time where if you can't bring change, you have to change them.

"We all have to be working hard to get better because some of the performances haven't been good enough and nobody has got a job for life.

"Most of this squad have been here for over four years and we've not achieved anything in four years.

"Up until now it's been six coaches in 10 years and [they] wheel the coaches out all the time.

"I enjoy working with this group, they're a good bunch of players and we've got a decent squad.

"Players have got the opportunity to show that they're worthy of being here and that they can help us move forward. That's what I want.

"I want as many of these players as possible to be here for the next couple of seasons but that's pretty much down to them."

Scarlets switches

Williams, who replaces wing Ryan Conbeer, has only made six Scarlets appearance since re-joining from Saracens in 2020, while captain Davies replaces the injured Scott Williams.

• Injured Adams set to miss at least month

• Season over for Scarlets and Wales trio

Head coach Dwayne Peel has been forced into a back-row reshuffle with Blade Thomson and Tomas Lezana ruled out through Covid-19 and replaced by Davis and Shingler.

Number eight Kalamafoni is free to play despite being sent off against Cardiff last week, while flanker Josh Macleod returns as a replacement.

Rhys Patchell is missing with a hamstring problem on an injury list which includes Williams, Dan Jones, Ioan Nicholas, Samson Lee, Daf Hughes, Marc Jones, Ken Owens Tom Phillips, Leigh Halfpenny, Lewis Rawlins and Josh Helps.

"We are pleased with last Saturday's result, but I'm happier with the reaction this week," said Peel.

"We haven't been patting ourselves on the back, it has been back to business ahead of a big challenge.

"We know there will be a reaction from Cardiff, it is part and parcel of the game and that is where these double headers add spice."

Cardiff Rugby: Morgan; Lane, Lee-Lo, G Smith, Cabango; J Evans, Lloyd Williams; Carre, Myhill, Arhip, S Davies, Screech, Lewis-Hughes, Jenkins, Turnbull (capt).

Replacements: Belcher, Domachowski, Davies-King, Teddy Williams, Boyde, Tomos Williams, Priestland, Summerhill.

Scarlets: McNicholl; Rogers, J Davies (capt), J Williams, Liam Williams; Costelow, G Davies; S Thomas, Elias, Sebastian, Lousi, J Price, Shingler, D Davis, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: S Evans, W Jones, O'Connor, Tuipulotu, Macleod, Hardy, O'Brien, J Roberts.

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)

Assistants: Rhys Jones & Carwyn Williams (WRU)

TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU).