Simon Easterby’s troops need just two points to secure sixth spot in the RaboDirect PRO12 and with it a place among Europe’s elite next term.
The Scarlets are currently nine points clear of seventh-placed Edinburgh and eighth-placed Cardiff Blues with just two games remaining so a draw or even a try-scoring and losing bonus point would guarantee them continental qualification with a week to spare.
But the West Wales region know they will have to produce an improved performance than the one they gave in defeat to the Blues in their Judgment Day battle a fortnight ago if they are to avoid a possible winner-takes-all clash with the same opposition in Llanelli on May 10.
“Now that we’re not competing for the top four, we’re obviously very focused on securing qualification into the top six to stay in the top flight of Europe next season,” said Scarlets forwards coach Danny Wilson.
“We don’t want to lose two derbies on the bounce. There’s a lot of pride in the group and our intentions is to put things right from last week. We’ll be looking to bounce back with a good start and a good performance.
“The preparation this week has been much of the same as it is any other week but we’re all clear and focused on knowing that we need to start the game and be mentally in a better place than we were last game.
“Dragons have played big sides in recent weeks and have put in some big performances despite not coming away with the results. We were all disappointed with the result when we lost away from home and we most certainly won’t be taking them lightly.”
Wilson and Easterby have made three changes to the side that lost to the Blues at the Millennium Stadium as the Scarlets look for a sixth straight win on home soil but a first Welsh derby success of the season.
Rob McCusker comes back into the side at No8 after injury, while Steve Shingler and Olly Barkley start at full back and inside centre respectively. There is one more positional switch as Josh Turnbull moves from the back of the scrum to the blindside flank to make room for McCusker.
A 23-16 reverse at Rodney Parade in Round 3 means that he Scarlets will be looking to avoid just a second ever season’s double defeat to the Dragons, with the visitors having only previously achieved that feat back in the 2007/08 campaign.
As for the Dragons, director of rugby Lyn Jones makes four changes and one positional switch to the side that were beaten by the Ospreys in Cardiff last time out.
Pat Leach has shaken off the virus that prevented him from playing in the Judgement Day derby so he takes his place in the centre alongside Jack Dixon; Bruce Douglas comes in for Duncan Bell at tight-head prop; captain Andrew Coombs comes back into the second row; and former Scarlet Nic Cudd starts at openside as Lewis Evans moves across to the No6 shirt.
Jones has kept faith with Italian outside half Kris Burton in the playmaking position, with Jason Tovey again among the replacements.
