Preview: Glasgow v Leinster

Heinke van der Merwe and Isaac Boss have been included in Leinster's squad for Friday's Magners League opener against Glasgow.

New signings Heinke van der Merwe and Isaac Boss have been included in Leinster's squad for Friday's Magners League opener against Glasgow.

Sean O'Brien leads a Leinster side which also includes summer signing Ed O'Donoghue.

Jamie Heaslip forms a back-row partnership with O'Brien and Dominic Ryan, with Scotland international second-row Nathan Hines partnering O'Donoghue at second row.

Shane Horgan links up in an exciting back three with Luke Fitzgerald and Niall Morris. New signing Ben Prescott has been amongst the replacements alongside hooker John Fogarty.

Speaking ahead of Friday's Magners League opener, Leinster and Scotland second-row Nathan Hines said he expect Glasgow to be strong.

“They have some good players. Max Evans is threatening out wide. (Bernardo) Stortoni is solid under the high ball at full-back and Richie Vernon, the ex-Sevens player who plays in the back-row, is quick and runs good lines,” he said.

“The two pre-season games (that we had) were good preparation for the start of the League proper and obviously they count, but you're not playing for points in pre-season. Historically we haven't done very well in Glasgow so it's an opportunity for everyone to get a scalp early on.

“Leicester was an improved performance compared to how we did against Wasps. We would have liked to have made bigger strides forward, but as long as we go to Glasgow and produce what we can do on the training pitch and come away with a win, then it doesn't really matter what happens in pre-season. Provided we get our campaign on track.”

Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Sean Lineen, is looking forward to the first game of the season.

The Warriors moved into their new training centre at Scotstoun Stadium on 1 June, and three months later Lineen feels that he and his coaching staff have had more time and resource to apply to the squad's rigorous schedule of pre-season training.

“It's the most satisfying pre-season I've had as a head coach,” he said.

“We're training at Scotstoun now so we've been able to do a lot more coaching.

“The pre-season games have been good for us, we've learnt a lot from Dundee right through until Sale and Wasps. There are some areas to improve on but a lot of good stuff as well.”

Although the pre-season games provided good opportunities to try new ideas and rotate his squad, Lineen knows that from Friday, the intensity will be completely different as league points are up for grabs.

He continued: “Our game against Sale at Firhill was a good stepping stone but we know it's going to be a massive physical test against Leinster.

“It's always a good battle with Leinster. They've got a lot of youngsters as well but they've also got plenty experience. The back-row, which I rate very highly, is their weapon.”

With injuries to some key personnel in the Glasgow squad, Lineen has been impressed with the application of some of his younger charges, particularly second-row Richie Gray whose task it is to fill the void left by Magners League Dream Team captain Alastair Kellock.

“Richie Gray knows that Al Kellock's out for a while so he's really taking that mantle,” said Lineen.

“He and Tom Ryder are forming a really good second row combination.”

Form:The last eight clashes between the two teams have all been won by the home side on the day, whilst Leinster's most recent victory in Glasgow was 21-18 at Firhill in May 2006. Glasgow Warriors have won their opening Magners League fixture of the new season for the past two years. The Warriors' ended the regular season in 2009/10 with four straight victories, and have lost at home just once since last October: 7-30 to the Blues in the Magners League on 19 February. The most recent Irish side to win at Firhill was Ulster, 20-19, in April 2009. Leinster's only opening weekend victory in the past six seasons was 23-8 over Edinburgh at the RDS in 2007. The Irishmen lost their last two away games last season, but have defeated Scottish opponents in four of their last five encounters.

The teams:

Glasgow:15 Bernardo Stortoni (c), 14 DTH van der Merwe, 13 Max Evans, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 Federico Aramburu, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Richie Vernon, 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Richie Gray, 4 Tom Ryder, 3 Moray Low, 2 Fergus Thomson, 1 Jon Welsh.
Replacements:16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Ed Kalman, 18 Ryan Grant, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Rob Harley, 21 Duncan Weir, 22 Hefin O'Hare, 23 Peter Murchie

Leinster:15 Luke Fitzgerald, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Eoin O'Malley, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Niall Morris, 10 Isa Nacewa, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien (c), 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Ed O'Donoghue, 4 Nathan Hines, 3 Simon Shawe, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements:16 John Fogarty 17 Jack McGrath 18 Ben Prescott 19 Mariano Galarza 20 Stephen Keogh 21 Paul O'Donohoe 22 Ian Madigan 23 Eamonn Sheridan

Date: Friday, September 3 kick-off 7.05pm
Venue: Firhill
Kick-off: 19.05 BST (18.05 GMT)
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)