1872 Cup: Teams named for opening Glasgow v Edinburgh clash

Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill has made ten changes as his side bids to keep their hands on the 1872 Cup, the annual inter-city double header which starts at Scotstoun tomorrow night.

Wing Duhan van der Merwe will make his 50th appearance for Edinburgh against Glasgow at Scotstoun tomorrow night. Picture: SRU/SNS

For Glasgow, Aki Seiuli continues at loosehead prop after making his first start for the club last weekend, hooker 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.

Glasgow Warriors coach Dave Rennie said:: “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.”

Duhan van der Merwe returns to make his 50th appearance as part of Edinburgh's ten changes. The winger gets the nod in a reshuffled backline with Scotland internationalists Blair Kinghorn, Mark Bennett and Henry Pyrgos all named in the starting XV.An all-new Edinburgh tight-five sees props Pierre Schoeman and Pietro Ceccarelli, hooker Stuart McInally and locks Grant Gilchrist and Ben Toolis return to the fray, while Magnus Bradbury starts at blindside flanker.Ahead of the fixture, Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill, said: "If we get it right, we can beat any team on its day which we are slowly doing and proving.“We’re going there to perform and try and take the points because that’s what we want and we want to beat our local rivals because rivalry is good. That little bit of tribalism is good and I want us to go there and show what a good team we are.""It is going to be two good teams going against each other. Two good forward packs, two teams that drive very well. Two teams that, when they get into the opposition 22 generally come away with points. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”A revamped back-three sees Kinghorn named at full-back with wingers Van der Merwe and Darcy Graham selected on opposite flanks.Centre George Taylor – who this week penned a contract extension with the club – is paired with Bennett in midfield, as scrum-half Pygros returns to link-up with stand-off Simon Hickey at half-back.Club captain McInally packs down alongside props Schoeman and Ceccarelli in the front-row, with Scotland lock duo Toolis and Gilchrist named in the second-row.

TEAMS FOR 1872 CUP

Scotstoun, Saturday, 5.45pm kick-off, Live on Premier Sports 1. Number of club appearances in brackets

GLASGOW

15. Ruaridh Jackson (157)

14. Tommy Seymour (135)

13. Huw Jones (28)

12. Sam Johnson (57)

11. Kyle Steyn (20)

10. Adam Hastings (38)

9. George Horne (48)

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)SUBS 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)

EDINBURGH15. Blair Kinghorn (83) 14. Darcy Graham (26)13. Mark Bennett (29)12. George Taylor (14)11. Duhan van der Merwe (49)10. Simon Hickey (27)9. Henry Pyrgos (30)1. Pierre Schoeman (32)2. Stuart McInally (140) CAPTAIN3. Pietro Ceccarelli (19)4. Ben Toolis (115)5. Grant Gilchrist (142)6. Magnus Bradbury (71)7. Hamish Watson (103)8. Viliame Mata (65)

SUBS

16. Mike Willemse (10)

17. Jamie Bhatti (8)

18 Simon Berghan (72)

19. Lewis Carmichael (39)

20. Jamie Ritchie (66)

21. Nic Groom (6)

22. Jaco van der Walt (47)

23. James Johnstone (45)