Gareth Owen insists the Scarlets can still bring the Pro12 title back to Wales. The only Welsh region to threaten for a top four play-off place this season dropped down to fifth a fortnight ago, but are still in contention as the tournament reaches its climax.

Scott Williams will show signs of rust when he returns for the Scarlets – but his coach still believes the Wales centre is pure gold. Wayne Pivac has had no hesitation in picking Williams for his first regional game of the season on Saturday in the Judgement Day clash against the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Principality Stadium.

Adam Warren has been earmarked as the Dragon the Scarlets must slay when they meet on Judgement Day this weekend. Centre Warren has been an unsung hero for the Dragons this season, playing in all but one of their 29 matches since moving from Parc Y Scarlets last summer.

Liam Williams wishes this season was not coming to a close, even though he admits it has been one of the worst he can remember. The Wales and Scarlets full-back could have just two more matches if his region fail to get back into the top four of the Guinness Pro12, having been there almost the entire season.

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac refused to blame illness for his team’s sickly display in defeat to Glasgow – a result which threatens to leave Wales without a representative in the Pro12 play-offs. The Scarlets dropped out of the top four for the first time this season after crumbling to a record 46-10 thrashing against Glasgow at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

Liam Williams’ re-appearance for the Scarlets is like making a new signing, according to head coach Wayne Pivac. The Wales full-back will make his first start in front of Scarlets fans for almost a year when they host Glasgow Warriors on Saturday in a match vital to the region’s hopes of a Guinness Pro 12 play-off place.

The Scarlets have confirmed the signing of Crusaders wing Johnny McNicholl for next season. McNicholl, who can also operate at full-back, has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal to move to Parc Y Scarlets.

Kirby Myhill will become the third Scarlets player to leave the region and join the Cardiff Blues at the end of the season. The former Wales U20s hooker is joining second row George Earle and fly-half Steve Shingler in swapping red for blue in a bid to earn more regular rugby.

Wales captain Sam Warburton has been warned he may have to settle for second best in his head-to-head with Scarlets flanker James Davies. The notice has been issued by Davies himself who believes his own form will allow him to put Warburton in the shade when they clash in his region’s Guinness Pro12 derby at home to the Cardiff Blues on Saturday.

Dan Lydiate has questioned the desire of his Ospreys teammates as they rake over the ashes of their Guinness Pro12 campaign. The Wales flanker has admitted the Scarlets showed more fight in the weekend derby at the Liberty Stadium – enabling them to make off with a 25-16 victory that all but snuffs out the dying flames of the Ospreys’ European Champions Cup hopes.

John Barclay will put the Scarlets ahead of Test rugby, despite his recall for Scotland. The 29-year-old flanker is enjoying an international resurgence in the current Six Nations, despite having been overlooked entirely for the World Cup.

Steve Shingler’s move from the Scarlets to the Cardiff Blues next season has been confirmed and he could be joined at the Arms Park by George Earle. Fly-half Shingler, 24, has been earmarked for the switch to the Blues since Rhys Patchell decided he would be travelling in the opposite direction.