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United-rugby-championship
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu will play his first match of the new season in Glasgow’s home URC clash with Ulster at Scotstoun on Saturday.
The talismanic centre-back, who faces a big year leading up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, will manage his work carefully during the upcoming campaign.
But after the Warriors bounced back from their first win Munster in Limerick, Tuipulotu returns this week in one of three changes to the starting XV with Stafford McDowall, who continues to captain the side, switching to outside center to accommodate Tuipulotu and Ollie Smith who drop out of the 23.
The rest of the back line is unchanged, while the other two changes come in the package.
Fin Richardson takes over from Murphy Walker at tight end in his first competitive outing since April, while Angus Fraser comes into the back row at open flank and Rory Darge starts on the bench.
Glasgow are back at Scotstoun for the first time this season and will play on a new 4G surface after the old pitch – affectionately known as ‘the car park’ by the players – was replaced over the summer after the stadium was used for the Commonwealth Games.
“A lot of work has been put in behind the scenes to get the field and stadium ready for this weekend, and we want to come out and produce a performance that reflects that effort,” head coach Franco Smith said. “Our hard work last week paid off with a real result (against Munster) but we know there is a lot more to come from this group of players.
“Ulster will be tough opposition as we see year after year – they play well both home and away and have international quality throughout their squad so we know we will have a tough challenge ahead of us on Saturday.”
Ulster are without wings Robert Baloucoune and Aitzol Arenzana-King, plus full-back Michael Lowry, for the trip to Glasgow.
Baloucoune and Lowry were sidelined with concussions in their 34-29 home defeat to Edinburgh last week, while Arenzana-King suffered a knee injury.
But Ireland quartet Jacob Stockdale, scrum-half Tom Stewart, who captains the side, lock Cormac Izuchukwu and No.8 Bryn Ward all return to the starting line-up, while scrum-half Nathan Doak is among the replacements.
Stockdale, who takes over from Lowry in the number 15 jersey, will play his 150th game for the province.
New signings Keynan Knox, Matthew Devine and Chay Mullins made their first starts for Ulster.
team from glasgow: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Stafford McDowall (capt), 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 George Horne; 1 Patrick Schickerling, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 3 Finn Richardson, 4 Gregor Brown, 5 Max Williamson, 6 Ally Miller, 7 Angus Fraser, 8 Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: 16 Seb Stephen, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Rory Darge 21 Macenzzie Duncan, 22 Callum Reidy, 23 Bayley Kuenzle.
Ulster Team: 15 Jacob Stockdale; 14 Chay Mullins, 13 Ethan McIlroy, 12 Jamie Benson, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Matthew Devine; 1 Eric O’Sullivan, 2 Tom Stewart (capt), 3 Keynan Knox, 4 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Eli Snyman, 6 James McKillop, 7 David McCann, 8 Bryn Ward.
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Tom McAllister, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Ben Donnell, 20 James McNabney, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Juarno Augustus.
