Glasgow Warriors keen to see how Murphy Walker does against Pierre Schoeman in 1872 Cup clash with Edinburgh

Franco Smith, the Glasgow Warriors coach, is anticipating a “special spice” around Friday’s inter-city derby at Scotstoun and it should be particularly tasty in the front row where home prop Murphy Walker will be up against Edinburgh’s Pierre Schoeman.

Murphy Walker will start for Glasgow Warriors against Edinburgh at Scotstoun. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Zander Fagerson’s hamstring injury means Glasgow are without their first-choice tighthead for the foreseeable future, opening the door for Walker. Seen as the coming man of Scottish rugby, the 23-year-old was taken on tour to South America in the summer and won his first full cap in the win over Fiji at Murrayfield last month. A second cap followed against Argentina but the tighthead has been lightly used at club level. Friday’s game will be his 12th for Glasgow while Schoeman lines up for Edinburgh for the 92nd time and Smith feels Walker will benefit from facing such an experienced opponent.

“Murphy gets another go at it this week and I think it is an important game for him scrummaging against Pierre Schoeman, who is the guy in the saddle with the Scotland team,” said the Glasgow coach. “He must learn and play more regularly. He hasn’t played much so we need to find the time. But in the periods he has played he’s made that step up, and I think it is also important for Scotland with Zander being out to see what depth they’ve got in that role.”

Smith said there had been “no specific requests or demands” from Gregor Townsend in terms of selection but the Warriors coach is mindful of the needs of the national team.

“With the likes of Murphy and Jamie Dobie, we are trying to blood young players for the future. We should be looking at how Scottish rugby can flourish even beyond the World Cup next year. It’ll be great for Murphy because this game will be like a Test match.”

Dobie is not involved on this occasion, with George Horne retaining the scrum-half’s jersey and Scotland No 9 Ali Price on the bench again.

“We are blessed with four very good scrum-halves,” said Smith who also name-checked Sean Kennedy. “I spoke to Ali and he realises George is playing well. It’s good to have the competition. Ali has that experience of Test match rugby and he’s a good man in the squad. He’s on for the last 15-20 minutes of a game when he can control that for us.”

This is Smith’s first experience of the Glasgow-Edinburgh fixture. He expects a feisty affair and dismissed the notion that his opponents would be weakened by the loss of players in key positions, with stand-off Blair Kinghorn and hookers Stuart McInally and Dave Cherry all ruled out.

Edinburgh's Pierre Schoeman will be up against Glasgow's Murphy Walker in the scrum. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

“This derby is one of two matches in a year to show what you are about, so it doesn’t matter who they bring in this week there is going to be special spice around it,” said Smith.

He has made five changes to the side which beat Perpignan. Fraser Brown comes in at hooker for George Turner, Sintu Manjezi starts ahead of Lewis Bean in the second row, captain Kyle Steyn returns on the wing in place of Rufus McLean, Tom Jordan is preferred to Duncan Weir at stand-off and Stafford McDowall takes over at inside centre from Huw Jones who is nursing a friction burn.

Glasgow Warriors (v Edinburgh, URC, Scotstoun, Friday, 7.35pm): Josh McKay; Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Steyn (c); Tom Jordan, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Murphy Walker, Sintu Manjezi, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Sione Vailanu, Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Simon Berghan, JP du Preez, Lewis Bean, Cameron Neild, Ali Price, Domingo Miotti.