Callum Woolley starts for the Scarlets as he makes his United Rugby Championship debut following mentoring from Liam Williams
Callum Woolley playing for GB Sevens earlier this year(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
Scarlets are set to hand a United Rugby Championship debut to academy winger Callum Woolley this weekend.
The 20-year-old is in line to face the Bulls at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, having impressed for Carmarthen Quins in Super Rygbi Cymru and been mentored by Wales legend Liam Williams.
He was called up by Great Britain’s Sevens for the World Series in Singapore and Perth back in January, and is now set to start on the right wing in place of Ellis Mee, who picked up an ankle injury in the defeat to Cardiff last weekend.
There is huge excitement at the Scarlets about Woolley’s potential, with interim director of rugby Nigel Davies recently explaining how good he thinks Woolley is and why he was so keen to have Williams working closely with him.
“We’ve got some really exciting talent,” he said earlier this month. “Callum Woolley is a young boy that is not far from starting for us.
“He was close to starting this week. So in the next three games, he’ll definitely get a start.
“What we’ve done with him as well, we’re trying to accelerate his development. Liam Williams has been in with us this week.
“Liam asked if he could come in and I thought it was an ideal opportunity, as he wants to get some experience in the coaching environment, to link him to Callum.
“He’s been working a bit with Callum and some of that work on him has worked really well this week. I’m really delighted with how that’s gone.
“He’s somebody we’ll probably see in the next two or three games. He’s six foot four and he’s one of the quickest in Wales. He really is excellent. So what’s not to like?”
Liam Williams helping out Scarlets youngster Callum Woolley ahead of their match with Cardiff(Image: Ian Williams (Riley Sports))
Elsewhere, Macs Page replaces Tom Rogers on the other wing, after the latter suffered a head injury, while Joe Roberts starts to partner Eddie James in the centre. Wales prop Henry Thomas comes in for Archer Holz.
Scarlets, who sit 14th in the league, are looking to bounce back from a late collapse to Cardiff, where they conceded 21 points in the final 10 minutes.
“Last weekend’s result hurt, but the response this week has been exactly what you want to see,” said boss Nigel Davies.
“There’s been honesty, energy and a real determination to move forward together.
“We are very clear as a group that our discipline hasn’t been where it needs to be and that sits with me. It’s my responsibility to ensure we get that right because it’s impacting our performance and results.”
Scarlets: Murray; Woolley, J Roberts, James, Page; Hawkins, Blacker; Mathias, Elias, Thomas, Lousi, Douglas, Plumtree, Taylor, Anderson (capt).
Replacements: Van der Merwe, J Morse, H O’Connor, Price, Davis, Hughes, Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, I Jones.
Bulls: Kriel; Jooste, Gans, Vorster, Arendse; Pollard, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, W Louw, Vermaak, Nortje, Coetzee (capt), E Louw, Hanekom.
Replacements: Van Staden, Wessels, Kloppers, Wiese, Gumede, De Wet, Le Roux, Rudolph.