Team named for 1872 Cup opener

A matchday squad containing 17 internationals will take to the pitch in front of a sold-out Scotstoun tomorrow night, as Glasgow Warriors welcome Edinburgh for the opening match of this season's 1872 Cup.

Nine players
that started April’s 34-10 victory over the capital outfit will once again be
running out in a Warriors shirt tomorrow evening, as Dave Rennie’s men look to
reclaim the trophy from their cross-country rivals.

Aki Seiuli
continues at loose-head prop after making his first start for the club last
weekend, with Fraser Brown and Zander Fagerson packing down alongside the New
Zealander.

Scott
Cummings and Jonny Gray start in the second-row, the third successive match for
which the pair have been selected in the engine room.

Ryan Wilson
shifts from blindside flanker to number eight in order to accommodate Rob
Harley, as Callum Gibbins continues at openside to complete the back-row.

Behind the
scrum there’s a return to the starting lineup for George Horne, the scrum-half
lining up alongside Adam Hastings at half-back.

Huw Jones
retains his place at outside centre, partnering fellow Scotland international Sam
Johnson in the midfield.

Tommy
Seymour – fresh from signing a contract extension earlier this week – is selected
on the wing along with Kyle Steyn, with Ruaridh Jackson coming into the side to
start at full-back.

Oli Kebble makes
a return to the matchday squad after being named amongst the replacements for
tomorrow’s match, as he joins George Turner and Adam Nicol as the front-row reinforcements.

Harley’s inclusion
in the starting XV sees Adam Ashe come onto the bench, with Tom Gordon continuing
in the number 20 jersey.

Ali Price is
named as the replacement scrum-half, as Nick Grigg and Niko Matawalu complete
the Glasgow replacements.

Speaking ahead
of tomorrow’s match, Rennie told glasgowwarriors.org: “I’d expect to see a
little bit of desperation in how the players perform. Edinburgh are a tough
side with a good kicking game, so we need to be able to deal with that.

“It’ll be an
arm wrestle and we shouldn’t be lacking motivation. We’ve been away from home
in this fixture in the last few years, so it’ll be nice to play in front of our
family and friends ahead of Christmas this season.

“We’re
looking for a performance that reflects the importance of the occasion.”

Glasgow Warriors team to play Edinburgh in the Guinness PRO14, Saturday 21 December, kick-off 5.45pm, live on Premier Sports 1. You can follow the match in the Live Match Centre on glasgowwarriors.org. Glasgow Warriors appearances in brackets.

1. Aki Seiuli (3)
2. Fraser Brown (95)
3. Zander Fagerson (87)
4. Scott Cummings (64)
5. Jonny Gray (106)
6. Rob Harley (222)
7. Callum Gibbins (C) (42)
8. Ryan Wilson (160)

9. George Horne (48)
10. Adam Hastings (38)
11. Kyle Steyn (20)
12. Sam Johnson (57)
13. Huw Jones (28)
14. Tommy Seymour (135)
15. Ruaridh Jackson (157)

16. George Turner (40)
17. Oli Kebble (40)
18. Adam Nicol (14)
19. Adam Ashe (73)
20. Tom Gordon (11)
21. Ali Price (82)
22. Nick Grigg (63)
23. Niko Matawalu (120)

Not available due to injury: Siua Halanukonuka (calf),
D’Arcy Rae (hand), Kiran McDonald (hip), Brandon Thomson (calf), Robbie Nairn (knee) and Pete Horne (head).