Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors play two RaboDirect PRO12 matches this festive season. The derby games will also double up as the 1872 Cup, in what is said to be the oldest fixture in club rugby.

In recent years Glasgow Warriors have been dominant, winning the last four 1872 Cup matches. However, the steady improvement of Edinburgh this season should ensure that it won’t be one way traffic this year and we can expect both fixtures to be very competitive affairs.

Edinburgh have just won their last games, one in the PRO12 and the other in the Heineken Cup and in all have won five of their last seven games. Glasgow Warriors match against Treviso in the PRO12 on Friday night was postponed and the week before that they lost their Heineken Cup pool match against Cardiff Blues. They have lost four of their last six matches.

The first match is due to be played on Boxing Day (26 December, at 15:05 GMT, 17:05 SA Time)) at Murrayfield and the second on New Year’s Day (1st January) at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow. Conditions should be fairly good for rugby on Boxing Day and one can expect an exciting match with the two teams going all out for victory. Both teams’ fullbacks are due to play out of position with Edinburgh’s Greig Tonks chosen at flyhalf where he has performed admirably. Tonks was shifted to flyhalf  due to last minute injury ahead of their last Heineken Cup match. For Glasgow Stuart Hogg has been selected at outside centre, he will not be entirely unfamiliar with the position as he has played there at times in the past.

The announcement of both teams for the first fixture follows, courtesy of edinburghrugby and glasgowwarriors.

Edinburgh Rugby Team Announcement

Edinburgh Rugby head coach Alan Solomons has made one selection change for the 1872 Cup derby against Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield Stadium on Boxing Day (kick-off 3.05pm).

The cup clash between the sides will host the country’s biggest club rugby crowd of the season as the first part of the inter-city double-header kicks off in front of the fans seeking season-long bragging rights.

Silverware and vital RaboDirect PRO12 points are the priority for the nation’s top players who run out with the added incentive of promoting themselves into Scotland contention for the 2014 RBS 6 Nations.

Head coach Alan Solomons, said:

“This is the oldest rugby derby in the world so we must take cognisance of that rich history and tradition. It’s a privilege for all the staff and players to be involved in it.

“Most derbies are tight, hotly-contested affairs and I think that this one will be no different.

“There is a lot of emotion involved in these games, but it’s a question of ensuring that the emotion is correctly channeled.

“The way to do that is by focussing on the elements on which you have got to deliver.

When all is said and done, it’s game of rugby, and one has got to deliver a good performance to get any form of outcome.”

The introduction of loose-head prop Wicus Blaauw as a rotated replacement for Scotland internationalist Alasdair Dickinson is the only change to the side that muscled past Leinster at the same venue last weekend.

The match will be Blaauw’s fourth start in 12 appearances this season, the most recent of which came in the club’s away win over Gloucester in the Heineken Cup a fortnight ago.

The faith shown in the starting line-up means club stalwart Roddy Grant will lead the team out on his 100th appearance and that lock Ollie Atkins retains his starting role, despite the return of Izak van der Westhuizen, who starts on the bench.

Former Hawke’s Bay captain and number 8 Mike Coman and on-loan stand-off Tony Fenner – both unused replacements against Leinster – are still in line to make their club debuts if called upon from the bench.

Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Ben Atiga, 11 Tom Brown, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Greig Laidlaw (Captain), 1 Wicus Blaauw, 2 Ross Ford, 3 Willem Nel, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 5 Ollie Atkins, 6 Cornell Du Preez, 7 Roddy Grant, 8 David Denton
Replacements: 16 Aleki Lutui, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Izak van der Westhuizen, 20 Mike Coman, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Tony Fenner, 23 Sam Beard.

Glasgow Warriors Team Announcement

Stuart Hogg will start at outside centre for Glasgow Warriors, when they take on Edinburgh Rugby at Murrayfield on Boxing Day.

Hogg will partner Alex Dunbar in a new look midfield for the first leg of the 1872 Cup.

Sean Maitland will start at full-back, with Tommy Seymour keeping his place on the right wing and DTH van der Merwe returning on the opposite side.

Duncan Weir has been named at fly-half, with Chris Cusiter wearing the No. 9 shirt and captaining the side in the absence of Al Kellock.

In the pack Ryan Grant returns at loose-head, with Pat MacArthur and Jon Welsh continuing at hooker and tight-head respectively.

Tim Swinson will combine with Tom Ryder in the engine room and in the back-row Rob Harley returns on the blind-side, Tyrone Holmes continues at open-side and Ryan Wilson keeps his place at number 8.

Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend said “Everyone connected with the club is looking forward to these back-to-back games with Edinburgh.

“After the disappointment of having our game postponed on Friday night the players are ready to return to action. A bonus of not playing at the weekend is that we’ve been able to cover a lot in training over the last couple of days.

“We have a lot of respect for Edinburgh – and they have secured some great results in recent weeks. They have quality players throughout their team and a game plan that they execute well. It should be a cracking match.”

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Sean Maitland, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Stuart Hogg, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Chris Cusiter (Captain), 1 Ryan Grant, 2 Pat MacArthur, 3 Jon Welsh, 4 Tim Swinson, 5 Tom Ryder, 6 Rob Harley, 7 Tyrone Holmes, 8 Ryan Wilson
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Moray Low, 19 Leone Nakarawa, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Chris Fusaro, 22 Henry Pyrgos, 23 Ruaridh Jackson.

Not available due to injury: Gabriel Ascarate (neck), Mark Bennett (foot), Mike Cusack (shoulder), Jonny Gray (ankle), Peter Horne (knee), Al Kellock (arm), Sean Lamont (ankle) and Peter Murchie (shoulder).