Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors teams: Hamish Watson drops to bench as visitors make three changes

Starting XVs revealed for second leg of 1872 Cup clash at Murrayfield

Edinburgh Rugby have dropped Hamish Watson to the bench for Saturday’s 1872 Cup clash with Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield.

Luke Crosbie comes into the team for the second leg match as part of a rejigged back row which sees Jamie Ritchie move to openside. Bill Mata remains at No 8. Crosbie’s inclusion is one of two personnel changes made by Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh coach. The other is injury-enforced, with James Lang ruled out by the shoulder problem which forced him off in the first half at Scotstoun. Mark Bennett, who replaced Lang off the bench last week, slots in at outside centre and Matt Currie moves from 13 to 12.

Edinburgh need to overturn a 12-point deficit to win back the trophy after holders Glasgow won the first leg 22-10 at Scotstoun last week and the Warriors, who outscored their age-old rivals by three tries to one, have made three changes to their starting XV. Johnny Matthews is preferred at hooker to George Turner who went off injured in the first leg but is fit enough for a place on the bench. The other change in the pack is the inclusion of Tom Gordon, who comes in for the injured Sione Vailanu in the back row, a move which sees Ally Miller move across to No 8. There is also alteration at stand-off, with Tom Jordan returning in place of Ross Thompson who is named among the replacements.

Edinburgh's Luke Crosbie has been picked to start against Glasgow Warriors in the 1872 Cup second leg. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

A record crowd of over 33,000 is expected for the fixture which is part of an historic intercity double-header in the Scottish capital with Edinburgh Rugby women’s team taking on their Glasgow Warriors counterparts at Hive Stadium at noon.

Edinburgh: 15. Wes Goosen; 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. Matt Currie, 11. Duhan van der Merwe; 10. Ben Healy, 9. Ali Price; 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Ewan Ashman, 3. WP Nel, 4. Glen Young, 5. Grant Gilchrist (capt), 6. Luke Crosbie, 7. Jamie Ritchie, 8. Viliame Mata. Replacements: 16. Dave Cherry, 17. Boan Venter, 18. D’Arcy Rae, 19. Marshall Sykes, 20. Hamish Watson, 21. Ben Vellacott, 22. Cammy Scott, 23. Emiliano Boffelli.

Glasgow Warriors: 15. Josh McKay; 14. Huw Jones, 13. Sione Tuipulotu (capt), 12. Stafford McDowall, 11. Kyle Rowe; 10. Tom Jordan, 9. George Horne; 1. Jamie Bhatti, 2. Johnny Matthews, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Scott Cummings, 5. Richie Gray, 6. Thomas Gordon, 7. Rory Darge, 8. Ally Miller. Replacements: 16. George Turner, 17. Nathan McBeth, 18. Oli Kebble, 19. Greg Peterson, 20. Max Williamson, 21. Henco Venter, 22. Ben Afshar. 23. Ross Thompson.

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU).

Match details: BKT United Rugby Championship and 1872 Cup second leg, Murrayfield, Saturday, 3pm.