Gareth Davies: Scarlets scrum-half admits he did not deserve Wales place

Gareth Davies has played 67 internationals for Wales

Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies believes his early season form did not warrant a place in Wales' squad for the autumn internationals.

Davies was left out in favour of Scarlets team-mates Kieran Hardy and Dane Blacker and Tomos Williams.

The 32-year-old is in South Africa preparing for a two-game tour starting against Stormers.

"My form was nowhere near good enough going into that autumn series," said Davies.

"I have embraced it and have been working hard the last couple of weeks.

"Hopefully this next block of games between now and the new year I can get a bit of form back and we will see what happens from there."

Scarlets are without current Wales players Ken Owens, Ryan Elias, Josh Macleod, Sam Costelow, Dane Blacker, Leigh Halfpenny and Kieran Hardy with Wayne Pivac's side playing Australia outside World Rugby's international window.

Tonga lock Sam Lousi is back for Scarlets after suspension but his fellow countryman Vae'a Fifita is unavailable after playing for his country against Romania last weekend.

Fifita is expected to link up with the Scarlets for the match against Lions on Sunday, 4 December.

Centre Scott Williams returns against Stormers, while back-row trio Dan Davis, Blade Thomson and Tomás Lezana are also back in the ranks after injury.

Davis makes his first start of the season, while Thomson and Lezana are named on the replacements bench.

Scarlets are 15th in the table after only one win in the opening seven games while defending champions Stormers are fourth after only suffering one defeat so far.

"We have had a good week here in Cape Town and are looking forward to getting back out there on the field," said Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel.

"We are not where we want to be, there is no hiding from that, but we have an exciting block ahead of us, starting out here against the Stormers."

The home side will also be without their internationals with South Africa facing England.

Lock Gary Porter will make his Stormers debut while centre Cornel Smit, fly-half Kade Wolhuter and flanker Marcel Theunissen all make their first starts of the season.

At full-back, Stormers have former Scarlet Clayton Blommetjies.

Stormers: Clayton Blommetjies; Angelo Davids, Cornel Smit, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas; Kade Wolhuter, Paul de Wet; Ali Vermaak, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Ernst van Rhyn (capt), Gary Porter, Junior Pokomela, Marcel Theunissen, Hacjivah Dayimani.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Leon Lyons, Sazi Sandi, Connor Evans, Ben-Jason Dixon, Nama Xaba, Herschel Jantjies, Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl; Tom Rogers, Jonathan Davies (capt), Scott Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Steff Thomas, Daf Hughes, Harri O'Connor, Sam Lousi, Tom Price, Aaron Shingler, Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Taylor Davies, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Blade Thomson, Tomás Lezana, Archie Hughes, Rhys Patchell, Steff Evans.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira (SARU), Paul Mente (SARU)

TMO: Frank Murphy (IRFU).

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