Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac will continue to be without centre Jonathan Davies through a hamstring injury.
Davies was slated to play in the region’s PRO14 season opener against Ulster last weekend but was a late withdrawal.
It is more bad luck for the Wales international to deal with having missed a large bulk of last season with a serious foot injury. However, Pivac’s comments on the latest setback point towards the 30-year-old returning to action sooner rather than later.
“This is unfortunate for Jon, he is such a finely tuned athlete, he is in great shape and itching to go,” Pivac said.
“He has felt a hamstring before Ulster and has a little niggle, so it is something at this stage of the season you do not risk.”
Davies is not the only player likely to be missing in the Scarlets backline to take on the PRO14 champions, as Rhys Patchell recovers from a head injury while Leigh Halfpenny and Hadleigh Parkes are all working their way back to full fitness.
On Davies, Pivac added that he had to consider the bigger picture rather than risking the centre as they look to bounce back from their 15-13 defeat to Ulster.
“We have to be smart on these things,” said Pivac.
“He has a lot of rugby ahead of him and we are only into week two.
“I don’t think it is going to be long-term. It will be a week-by-week basis but we won’t push him and will get him 100% right.
“It is important with the sort of injury he had last year that the volume he is getting in training is right. He has been out for some time so we have to be mindful of that.”
Saturday’s fixture at Parc y Scarlets is a repeat of May‘s PRO14 final which saw the Irishmen run out 40-32 victors.