Scarlets start for Leggatt-Jones after Wales U20s release

Teenage fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones has been released by Wales Under-20s to start for Scarlets against Connacht in the United Rugby Championship on Friday (19:45 GMT).

The URC fixture is rearranged from round two in October when the Llanelli side could not travel to Galway due to Storm Amy.

The game now clashes with the Six Nations and none of the Scarlets' senior Wales players have been released.

However, it has been deemed Leggatt-Jones will benefit more from club action than the Under-20s' final fixture against Italy in Newport on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

Scarlets interim director of rugby Nigel Davies said: "With the squad as it is, it was key that he was available to us.

"We've given him a couple of opportunities this season and it's another chance for him to progress further."

Scarlets have used Sam Costelow and Joe Hawkins at fly-half this season, but both are with Steve Tandy's Wales squad.

That meant Leggatt-Jones made his first senior start against Benetton before the Six Nations and he pulled the strings against Edinburgh a fortnight ago.

The Llandovery College student started the first three rounds of the junior Six Nations and came off the bench in Ireland last Saturday.

Wales Under-20s head coach Richard Whiffin said: "For him to keep getting minutes at the top end shows how good a player he is to be backed by his club team, and that will help his development.

"It's important that we don't put too much on him because he is still an 18-year-old schoolboy, but I am sure he will rip into it with the Scarlets and give a good account of himself."

Number eight Fletcher Anderson will lead Scarlets for the first time when taking over from club captain Josh Macleod, who has not been released by Wales despite not being selected to face Italy.

The flanker remains in Six Nations camp along with hooker Ryan Elias, centres Joe Hawkins and Eddie James and wings Ellis Mee, Blair Murray and Tom Rogers, while Sam Costelow is recovering from an ankle injury with the Wales conditioning staff.

Scarlets are also missing loose-head prop Alec Hepburn, who has been training with Scotland this week ahead of their Triple Crown bid in Ireland.

The visitors are stretched, but have been boosted by the return of centre Johnny Williams, who missed the trip to Edinburgh with a calf injury.

Macs Page switches to the left wing while Ioan Jones makes his first URC start at full-back.

Scarlets would climb above Dragons into 14th place with victory in Galway.

Connacht would leapfrog Ospreys into ninth and a bonus-point victory would move them level with Bulls in the last play-off spot.

The Irish province, fresh from a last-play win against Glasgow, are without centre Bundee Aki, back row forward Cian Prendergast and props Finlay Bealham and Billy Bohan because of Ireland duty.

Outside centre John Devine, who made his debut off the bench against Montpellier in January, makes a first start.

Connacht: Gilbert; Jennings, Devine, Forde, Mullins; Ioane, Reilly; Buckley, Tierney-Martin, Aungier, O'Connor, Joyce, J Murphy, Boyle (capt), Jansen.

Replacements: de Buitlear, Dooley, Barrett, Murray, O'Brien, B Murphy, Naughton, McCormack.

Scarlets: I Jones; J Davies, Roberts, Williams, Page; Leggatt-Jones, G Davies; Mathias, van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Lousi, Ball, Douglas, Taylor, Anderson (capt).

Replacements: Harry Thomas, S O'Connor, H O'Connor, Price, Davis, A Hughes, McDonald, Lewis.

Referee: Ru Campbell (Scotland)

Assistants: Padraic Reidy, Tomas O'Sullivan (Ireland)

TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)