Glasgow Warriors welcome star Scotland centre back as Harlequins beef up pack for Champions Cup knockout
Sione Tuipulotu in action for Glasgow Warriors.
The Investec Champions Cup round of 16 action gets underway on Friday with what promises to be an entertaining clash between Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors.
The teams ranked fifth and twelfth, respectively, after the pool stage have the honour of kicking the knockout fixtures off, and it promises to be an epic clash at the Stoop.
It is win or bust for all teams going into the weekend and the winner of this meeting will face the victor of the Bordeaux-Begles (4) v Saracens (13) fixture at Stade Chaban-Delmas, with the highest ranked side handed home field advantage for next weekend’s tie.
Harlequins’ starting XV features just two changes from the side that beat Bath 40-36, with Will Collier returning at tighthead prop and Irne Herbst starting at second-row.
In the engine room, Fin Baxter and Will Collier pack down alongside hooker Jack Walker. Irne Herbst and George Hammond form the second-row partnership, with Stephan Lewies and Will Evans on the flanks. Alex Dombrandt continues at number eight.
In the backs, Danny Care and Marcus Smith start in the halves, with Andre Esterhuizen and Oscar Beard in the centres. Cadan Murley and Louis Lynagh resume on the wings with Tyrone Green at full-back.
The bench features a 6-2 split, with replacement front-row Sam Riley, Joe Marler and Dillon Lewis joining the experienced Joe Launchbury, flanker Will Trenholm and the returning Tom Lawday. Elsewhere, Max Green covers scrum-half with Cameron Anderson adding versatility in the backs.
Sione Tuipulotu starts for Glasgow
Meanwhile, Sione Tuipulotu will make his first Glasgow Warriors appearance since January in the Champions Cup clash, as Franco Smith’s men hunt a place in the quarter-finals.
The 27-year-old is one of 11 Scotland internationals named in the starting XV for the trip to London, as the Warriors go in search of only a third-ever quarter-final in Europe’s premier club rugby competition.
Johnny Matthews comes into the front-row in the only alteration to the trio that started last weekend’s 45-3 win over the Scarlets, as Nathan McBeth and Zander Fagerson pack down either side of the hooker.
The second-row partnership is unchanged, meaning Scott Cummings – a try-scorer in Llanelli last weekend – partners Max Williamson in the engine room.
An all-Scotland combination sees Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey restored to the starting XV after being rested for last weekend’s visit to Parc y Scarlets, Rory Darge completing the back-row triumvirate.
Tom Jordan shifts to the fly-half jersey to accommodate the return of Tuipulotu in the midfield, with George Horne partnering the former Ayrshire Bull in the half-backs.
Stafford McDowall moves to outside centre as he partners the returning Tuipulotu, the pair having most recently started in the midfield together in January’s clash with Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.
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Club captain Kyle Steyn is another to return to the line-up after being rested for last weekend’s win over the Scarlets, as Kyle Rowe – fresh from his hat-trick last time out – and Josh McKay round out the starting XV.
Gregor Hiddleston rotates to the replacements bench after scoring his first try for Glasgow Warriors last weekend, the hooker joining Oli Kebble and Lucio Sordoni as the front-row cover.
Sintu Manjezi wears the number 19 jersey, whilst Ally Miller – in the week in which he extended his contract with the club – and Henco Venter complete a six-two split of forwards and backs.
Jamie Dobie and Duncan Weir cover the backline, the latter having started both of Glasgow’s last two matches in the United Rugby Championship.
The teams
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Will Evans, 6 Stephan Lewies (c), 5 George Hammond, 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Will Collier, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Will Trenholm, 21 Tom Lawday, 22 Max Green, 23 Cameron Anderson
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (c), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Max Williamson, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Nathan McBeth
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Ally Miller, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Duncan Weir
Venue: Twickenham Stoop
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Referee: Tual Trainini (FRA)
Assistant Referees: Ludovic Cayre (FRA), Flavien Hourquet (FRA)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FRA)
READ MORE: Explainer: How the Investec Champions Cup knockout stages work
