Glasgow Warriors have named an unchanged XV ahead of the first of this season’s eagerly awaited Greaves Sports 1872 Cup derby matches against Edinburgh.

The first encounter between Scotland’s two professional sides takes place at Firhill on Monday 27 December before the return match at Murrayfield on Sunday 2 January (both matches kick-off at 5.35pm).

Tickets for both legs of the Greaves Sports 1872 Cup derby can be purchased online (www.glasgowwarriors.org and www.edinburghrugby.org), by telephone (0844 800 3490 and 0131 346 5180), and in person from Greaves Sports in Glasgow or the Murrayfield ticket centre in Edinburgh.

“This is it,” said Glasgow head coach Sean Lineen. “This is the derby double and it’s fantastic. These games have been brilliant the last few years.

“The players have gotten right up for them and they’ve got a real edge to them. There are so many head-to-heads, individual one-on-one battles and reasons to do well.”

The festive derbies have attracted record attendances in recent years and the impact of the support from the stands has contributed to the lasting memories of some special matches.

Lineen continued: “There are great crowds which is important. These games have really captured the imagination of the rugby public and we’re hoping for another bumper crowd on the 27th.”

Glasgow won both matches last season to regain the 1872 Cup, but the tides have changed since then as the teams are currently separated by seven Magners League points - Edinburgh leading the Scottish charge.

On winning the double last time round, Lineen reacted: “Those games have no relevance now. We need to get our own performance right on Monday because it’s going to be a real full blooded local derby.”

The only change to the match-day 23 from Tuesday night's Heineken Cup clash against Toulouse sees the return of hooker Dougie Hall. Hall takes the place of Pat MacArthur on the bench.

Glasgow Warriors team to play Edinburgh in the first leg of the Greaves Sports 1872 Cup derby at Firhill on Monday 27 December (kick-off 5.35pm)

15 Bernardo Stortoni

14 Hefin O’Hare
13 Max Evans
12 Graeme Morrison
11 DTH van der Merwe

10 Ruaridh Jackson
9 Colin Gregor

1 Jon Welsh
2 Fergus Thomson
3 Moray Low
4 Richie Gray
5 Alastair Kellock CAPTAIN
6 Robert Harley
7 John Barclay
8 Richie Vernon

Substitutes: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 Kevin Tkachuk, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Chris Fusaro, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Murchie, 23 Federico Aramburu

This article was originally posted on 23-Dec-2010, 15:07 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 23-Dec-2010, 15:07.