Chris Fusaro to captain Glasgow for Harlequins match

CHRIS Fusaro will captain ­Glasgow in their daunting pre-season match at Harlequins.

The Warriors field a stronger side to that which defeated Aberdeen Grammar FPs in the north recently, with Pat MacArthur back from the injury he suffered on Scotland’s South Africa tour, Argentinian Gabriel Ascarate starting at inside ­centre, and new Scotland caps Peter Murchie and Tommy Seymour coming into the backline.

Ascarate forms a new centre pairing with Mark Bennett while Scott Wight and Ali Price pair up again at half-back, and Richie Vernon marks his ­return to the club with a first start alongside Fusaro and James Eddie in the back row.

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Tom Ryder and Jonny Gray are the locks while props Ed Kalman and Gordon Reid ­complete the front row.

Scotland’s summer tourists Sean Lamont, Henry Pyrgos, Tim Swinson, Jon Welsh and Moray Low are included on the bench with youngsters Rory Hughes, Finn Russell, Will ­Bordill and Kevin Bryce, and South African openside Tyrone Holmes.

The teams are at different stages of preparation. This is Harlequins’ final pre-season match and so while Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend continues to look at combinations and provide early opportunities for fringe players, Quins have a settled Premiership look with England skipper Chris Robshaw leading a side with Mike Brown, Tom Williams, Ugo Monye, Jordan Turner-Hall, Danny Care, Joe Marler and Nick Easter, steered by All Black fly-half Nick Evans.

“This game will be a very tough test,” said Townsend. “But one which we’re all looking forward to. It’ll be a good experience for the players to play at Twickenham Stoop against one of the top sides in England. We’ve had a couple of hit-outs – Aberdeen Grammar and an in-house training game this week and we’ve been pleased with a number of aspects.

“The intensity will now increase for our final games against Harlequins and Exeter Chiefs next weekend.”