Johnny Mcnicholl has edged out Leigh Halfpenny for Scarlets’ Challenge Cup semi-final against Glasgow on Saturday.

Scrum-half Gareth Davies, prop Wyn Jones and lock Sam Lousi also return.

Glasgow lock Richie Gray makes his 100th appearances for the club but Scotland centre Huw Jones has not recovered from a head injury sustained last weekend amid eight changes.

Full-back Halfpenny was passed fit earlier in the week following a head knock in the European quarter-final win over Clermont.

However head Coach Dwayne Peel has instead selected McNicholl at full-back for his first start in two months after returning as a replacement on Judgement Day following a knee injury.

It means no home farewell for Halfpenny, Rhys Patchell or Aaron Shingler having been named among 15 players leaving the region this summer.

Patchell misses out on selection while Shingler, who will retire at the end of the season, was due to be involved but has not recovered from a back injury.

Wales prop Jones is recalled to complete an all-international front-row while the return from injury of Sam Lousi sees Vaea Fifita move to number eight alongside fit-again flanker Dan Davis.

Both teams are looking to reach their first European final.

Glasgow beat Scarlets 12-9 earlier this month to secure home advantage in the United Rugby Championship play-offs but are appearing in their first European semi-final.

Jones left the field for a head injury assessment during last weekend’s victory against Connacht and failed to return.

However fellow Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu returns after missing the last two matches while Argentina wing Sebastian Cancelliere and hooker George Turner are also back from injury.

Props Jamie Bhatti and Zander Fagerson are re-called in a new-look front-row.

A crowd of about 13,000 is expected at Parc y Scarlets to see who will earn a place against either Toulon or Benetton, who meet on Sunday, in the Dublin final on 19 May.

First finals

Only once has a Scottish side reached a European final when Edinburgh missed out in this competition to Gloucester in 2015.

Similarly, Cardiff have twice lifted this trophy (2010 and 2018) after Pontypridd reached the final in 2003, but this would be a first final for Scarlets, who four times have been losing semi-finalists in the Heineken Champions Cup.

View from the camps

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel said: “This competition in particular has given us lots of energy and a lot of good performances this season. Now it’s a huge opportunity for this this group.

“Not many of these guys have been where we are now in terms of semi-finals, especially the younger guys in the group. It is about them enjoying it.

“I’m sure it will be a great occasion with a good crowd. You have to be bold and go and win the game in semi-finals, not sit on leads, and that’s what I will encourage the players to do.”

Glasgow head coach Franco Smith said: “Scarlets will be favouring their chances to go all the way in front of their home supporters.

“We as a team know this, and therefore it presents an opportunity to take on this challenge that will ask the very best of us.

“We have prepared well this week for what we know will be a hard battle in front of a big Welsh crowd.”

What happens if a draw?

If the scores are level after 80 minutes then 20 minutes of extra-time – two periods of 10 minutes – will be played.

If the scores remain level then it comes down to the team that has scored the most tries.

If that fails to provide a winner then it comes down to a goal-kicking competition in which three players from either side take two kicks each from various positions on the 10 and 22m lines.

Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl; Steff Evans, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Javan Sebastian, Morgan Jones, Sam Lousi, Josh Macleod (capt), Dan Davis, Vaea Fifita.

Replacements: Shaun Evans, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Iestyn Rees, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Ioan Nicholas.

Glasgow: Ollie Smith: Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Steyn (capt); Tom Jordan, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Richie Gray, Rory Darge, Sione Vailanu, Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Nathan McBeth, Simon Berghan, JP du Preez, Lewis Bean, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, Duncan Weir.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Assistant referees: Tual Trainini & Pierre Brousset (France)

TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)