Jake Ball to begin second Scarlets spell in pre-season derby

After four years in Japan, Welsh international Jake Ball will pull on a Scarlets jersey for the first time since he returned to the region this summer in Saturday’s pre-season derby against the Dragons.

The 34-year-old, who won the last of his 50 Wales caps in 2021, starts the match at Rodney Parade in the second row alongside Sam Lousi.

Ball had initially planned to retire after his spell with NEC Green Rockets, but was persuaded back to Wales.

He began his career with Western Force in Australia before joining Scarlets, where he made 133 appearances in nine seasons before leaving in 2021.

Fellow international Josh Macleod leads a powerful Scarlets line-up from the back row. He is joined in the starting line-up by Blair Murray, Macs Page, Sam Costelow, Taine Plumtree and Joe Roberts, who also toured Japan with Wales this summer.

Scotland loosehead, Alec Hepburn, who won his fifth cap for his adopted country against Fiji in July, is also in the pack.

Scarlets team vs Dragons RFC, Rodney Parade, Saturday, September 13 (3pm):

15 Blair Murray; 14 Jac Davies, 13 Macs Page, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Ellis Mee; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Alec Hepburn, 2 Harry Thomas, 3 Harri O’Connor, 4 Sam Lousi, 5 Jake Ball, 6 Jarrod Taylor, 7 Josh Macleod (capt), 8 Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Kemsley Mathias, Isaac Young, Gabe Hawley, Jac Price, Tristan Davies, Osian Williams, Dan Davis, Dane Blacker, Archie Hughes, Gabe McDonald, Joe Roberts, Ioan Nicholas, Tomi Lewis, Ioan Jones.