Scarlets v Edinburgh Tonight

MAGNERS LEAGUE
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Date: 4 December
Kick-off: 1905 GMT

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Chris Paterson will captain Edinburgh in the absence of Mike Blair and Allister Hogg through injury as they travel to face the Scarlets.

Paterson's return from injury is one of five changes in the starting line-up, with Phil Godman rested and fellow Scotland man Ross Ford on the bench.

Roddy Grant, Andrew Kelly, Scott MacLeod and Mark Robertson also start for the visitors.
Wales trio Matthew Rees, Mark Jones and Dafydd Jones miss out for Scarlets.

Captain Jones, hooker Rees and flanker Jones will play no part on Friday at Parc-y-Scarlets after suffering injuries on Wales duty in November.

The hosts are also without Morgan Stoddart, who suffered a hamstring strain training with Wales as wing Jones' deputy.

But centre Jonathan Davies and scrum-half Martin Roberts return while fly-half Stephen Jones is on the bench.

Edinburgh are lying second in the table after four wins from seven starts, while the Scarlets' league form has not matched their Heineken Cup efforts.

But, in their last league outing, Edinburgh lost 9-8 to Newport Gwent Dragons at Murrayfield and will be looking to atone for that disappointment.

The Dragons were also the hosts' last league opponents in a game the Scarlets won 18-3.

That was one of only two Scarlets league wins from seven starts that see them lying 10th.

Last season's encounters went to the home side, with Edinburgh winning 32-12 in September and the Scarlets claiming a 13-6 triumph in March.

Paterson, who missed the previous match against Dragons because of a foot infection, has been selected to lead the Scottish side.

Head coach Rob Moffat believes the 31-year-old will prove to be a sound choice for the job and inspire second-placed Edinburgh to their fifth Magners League win of the season.

"What we have been trying to build for a while now is a group of leaders and we are fortunate to be able to call upon someone like Chris with his experience and I'm sure he will lead by example," he said.

Godman has started every match for Edinburgh this season and featured in all three autumn Tests for Scotland.
"I think it is important that Phil is managed well over the course of the season, in terms of his game-time," Moffat said of the fly-half.

"He played in every match for Scotland, but he has also played a lot of rugby for us as well.

"We just thought it was sensible to rest him this week and to give him time to freshen up."

Godman's replacement, Blair, last started for Edinburgh almost nine months ago, coincidentally at the same venue.

Greig Laidlaw, named man-of-the-match following Scotland A's win over Tonga, continues in the number nine jersey in Blair senior's absence, while Grant comes back into the back-row at openside, with Scott Newlands shifting across to the base of the scrum.

Kelly reclaims the hooker slot and, fresh from scoring a try for Scotland A against Tonga, Robertson reclaims the number 14 jersey, while lock Scott MacLeod is selected to face his former club.

After featuring for Gael Force in the British and Irish Cup, Scotland back-rower David Callam, back from a long-term hip injury, has been called into the squad for the first time since September 2008 and is among the substitutes.

Club captain Simon Cross is still out with a knee injury alongside Andrew Easson and Simon Webster.

However, Ross Rennie, who appeared for Gael Force two weeks ago, is edging ever closer to a first-team return along with Scotland lock Jim Hamilton.
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Scarlets: Daniel Evans; Lee Williams, Sean Lamont, Jon Davies, Andy Fenby; Rhys Priestland, Martin Roberts; Iestyn Thomas, Ken Owens, Deacon Manu, Lou Reed, Dominic Day, Simon Easterby, Richie Pugh, David Lyons (capt).
Replacements: Phil John, Emyr Phillips, Vernon Cooper, Josh Turnbull, Tavis Knoyle, Stephen Jones, Gareth Maule.

Edinburgh: C Paterson (capt), M Robertson, B Cairns, N De Luca, T Visser, D Blair, G Laidlaw, A Jacobsen, A Kelly, G Cross, S Turnbull, S MacLeod, A MacDonald, R Grant, S Newlands.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Kyle Traynor, Craig Hamilton, David Callam, Ross Samson, John Houston, Jim Thompson.

Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)