| Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow Date: Friday, 8 December Kick-off: 20:00 BST |
| Protection: Stay radio commentary on BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio 5 Sports activities Additional, textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site & app. |
Glasgow and Edinburgh each kick off their European adventures on Friday, however they’ve swapped competitions from final season.
The Warriors bought all the way in which to the ultimate of the Problem Cup earlier than being blown away by Toulon when it mattered. Now, they’re again on the high desk, beginning at residence to Northampton, after a great URC marketing campaign.
The roles have been reversed for Edinburgh. A profitable Champions Cup group stage paved the way in which to the final 16 earlier than they had been crushed by Leicester Tigers. Now they need to lick their wounds within the second tier, starting with a visit to Clermont, after they tailed off badly following the departure of Mike Blair.
It’s an thrilling time for Glasgow, again rubbing shoulders with the elite. However what have they realized from their journey to Dublin final season?
“I feel final yr we fell brief as a result of we had been our personal worst enemies,” head coach Franco Smith mentioned. “We had our eyes on the prize, and that was principally the one factor that we tried to keep away from.
“Do not take a look at the desk, do not take a look at the opposition. Simply carry on bettering and getting our processes performed properly. That is the principle factor this yr. If we play a URC sport or we play within the Champions Cup, it does not change.
“We have to develop in order that we will deal with the larger events higher. We’ve skilled a last now, we all know what’s wanted. There may be lot of motivation to be taken from that.”
Saints is not going to relish a go to to Scotstoun, the fortress Glasgow have constructed within the metropolis’s west finish. That’s adopted by journeys to Bayonne and Exeter after which, because the narrative would dictate, Toulon come to city in January.
There can be a milestone look for quantity eight Matt Fagerson within the opener. He turns into the fifty fifth Warrior to achieve a century of appearances, becoming a member of his brother Zander on the listing.
“He is been good,” Smith mentioned. “He is contributed on and off the sector, by way of the way in which he trains, works and his dedication to the staff. He is a frontrunner.
“He reveals the way in which to the younger guys and he is diligent in his strategy. He works very onerous in preparation to permit him to be the very best he might be.
“He is very loyal to the membership and he is actually performed along with his coronary heart on his sleeve. We’re actually pleased with him.”
‘Enormous – and noisy – problem’ for Edinburgh
Edinburgh journey to the guts of France to face Clermont, having picked up an away win over Castres final time. Can they repeat the trick?
“A number of the gamers have performed in France quite a bit anyway, so I do not suppose we will take an excessive amount of from final yr,” mentioned Edinburgh’s assault coach Rob Chrystie.
“It is a new season, we’re enjoying a bit in a different way with the ball, and I feel we’re much more resilient with out the ball.”
Excursions to France are all the time eye-opening, with hostile crowds and raucous atmospheres. Edinburgh have even been pumping that noise across the Hive Stadium throughout coaching in preparation.
“Going away to Clermont is an thrilling prospect,” Chrystie added. “It’s going to be an enormous crowd, will probably be noisy, will probably be a bit bit totally different. It is an enormous problem to go throughout there and it is one thing we’re actually wanting ahead to.”
The staff that travels contains rookies and riches of worldwide expertise. Cammy Scott makes his first skilled begin at fly-half with new poster boy Ben Healy rested. Harry Paterson makes simply his fifth professional look on the wing.
But, two British and Irish Lions return in Hamish Watson and Duhan van der Merwe, each again from harm. Make no mistake, Edinburgh will not be taking this calmly.
Edinburgh additionally kick off at 20:00 away to ASM Clermont Auvergne, with textual content updates on the BBC Sport web site & app.
Glasgow Warriors: McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, McDowall (capt), Smith, Jordan, Kennedy; Bhatti, Matthews, Z Fagerson, Manjezi, Grey, Cummings, Darge, M Fagerson.
Replacements: Turner, Kebble, Sordoni, Williamson, Miller, Vailanu, Afshar, Thompson.
Edinburgh: Swiel, Paterson, Bennett, Dean, Van der Merwe, Scott, Vellacott (capt); Hislop, Ashman, Sebastian, Sykes, Hodgson, Crosbie, Watson, Mata.
Replacements: McBurney, Venter, Williams, Younger, Boyle, Shiel, Currie, Goosen.