New signings Rhys Carré and Cory Hill go straight into the starting line-up as Cardiff Blues return to action for the first time since February.
John Mulvihill’s men travel to face the Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday (3pm), more than five months since facing Edinburgh at Murrayfield.
Carré and Hill had both agreed a return to the Blues ahead of the 2020-21 season but with rugby now restarting with a condensed finale to the Guinness PRO14, they are available for action.
John Mulvihill is relishing the return of rugby and expects two weeks of typically intense Welsh derbies to prime his side for the next campaign.
He has named a familiar side including 10 Wales internationals and with Carré and Hill the new faces. Josh Turnbull will captain Cardiff Blues as he returns to his former stomping ground once again.
Mulvihill said: “It’s brilliant to be back and after a long build-up during some very strange and testing times, we are looking forward to having that release on the pitch.
“It has been more than five months since our last game so the boys are absolutely champing at the bit.
“It will be strange playing in an empty stadium but the boys will create their own atmosphere and energy, and it is is a Welsh derby so there is no shortage of motivation.
“It’s great to welcome Rhys and Cory into our set-up and we are expecting big contributions from them, both on the weekend and longer term, and it’s also pleasing to get so many boys back on the pitch, who were previously sidelined.
“The Scarlets will present a formidable challenge and they have recruited well but we should have beaten them at Christmas and we won last time out at Parc y Scarlets.
“We are looking forward to two high-intensity Welsh derbies to develop our game and bounce into next season.”
There is a familiar look to John Mulvihill’s match-day 23, with several players back fit following long term injuries.
Turnbull captains the team and is joined in the back-row by Olly Robinson and Will Boyde.
A quintet of Wales internationals are selected in the front-five with Hill partnered by Rory Thornton and Carré packing down alongside Kristian Dacey and Dillon Lewis.
Tomos Williams and Jarrod Evans continue their familiar partnership at half-back while Harri Millard, Josh Adams and Hallam Amos all start in the three-quarters after overcoming injuries during the enforced break
Cardiff Blues: H Amos; J Adams, H Millard, B Thomas, A Summerhill; J Evans, T Williams; R Carré, K Dacey, D Lewis, C Hill, R Thornton, J Turnbull (c), O Robinson, W Boyde.
Replacements: K Myhill, R Gill, K Assiratti, S Davies, S Lewis-Hughes, L Williams, G Smith, M Morgan.