Rivals ‘scared’ of Scarlets’ all-Wales back line

United Rugby Championship: Scarlets v Stormers

Stormers may have been boosted by Springboks but Scarlets insist they have a Test-quality back line to strike fear into United Rugby Championship rivals.

The South Africans head to Llanelli on Friday (19:45 BST) after starting the URC with wins against Leinster and Ospreys in Cape Town.

They are bolstered by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse after they helped South Africa win the Rugby Championship.

Scarlets welcome back their own Springbok into their XV, Marnus van der Merwe, after the hooker made his Test debut this summer.

Scarlets field an all-Wales set of starting backs with fly-half Sam Costelow on the bench after a head injury.

Dwayne Peel’s side failed to fire against Munster on the opening weekend but captain Johnny Williams is confident they can cause Stormers problems.

“There’s no point being scared of what other teams have got because we know that they are talking about our backline, the quality we have coming on as well.

Scarlets started the season with a 34-21 defeat to Munster in Llanelli and then were denied a chance to get that out of their system when travel complications led to their game at Connacht being postponed.

Dwayne Peel’s side finished eighth in 2024-25 to qualify for the play-offs and Champions Cup but failed to hit those heights in their opener.

“There was a lack of energy and for first game of the season that was unacceptable,” said Williams.

“The excitement, edge, energy, enthusiasm needed to be better.

“The standards that we set last year, we didn’t see at all against Munster. Come Friday I have no doubt it will be there, with an edge at home against a physical side.”

Joe Hawkins starts at fly-half, as was planned at Connacht, while Van der Merwe slots straight back in as a starter.

Lock Steve Cummins is on the bench after returning for a second spell with Scarlets on a short-term loan from Dragons.

Superstar fly-half Feinberg-Mngomezulu comes into the Stormers’ starting line-up with the versatile Willemse at full-back.

Scarlets: Murray; Rogers, J Roberts, J Williams (capt), Mee; Hawkins, G Davies; Hepburn, Van der Merwe, H Thomas, T Davies, Douglas, Taylor, Davis, Plumtree.

Replacements: Myhill, S O’Connor, Holz, Cummins, B Williams, Blacker, Costelow, Page.

Stormers: D Willemse; Senatla, Simelane, R Nel (capt), Zas; Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ungerer; Vermaak, Kotze, Sandi, Schickerling, R van Heerden, P de Villiers, Dixon, Roos.

Replacements: A-H Venter, Matongo, Porthen, Evans, Theunissen, Fourie, Khan, Matthee.

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

Assistant referees: Ben Connor, Carwyn Sion (WRU)