Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie has named an unchanged line-up for Saturday’s Pro14 final against holders Leinster at Celtic Park.
Callum Gibbins captains the side, while Stuart Hogg makes his final appearance before joining Exeter Chiefs.
Ireland duo Rob Kearney and Jonny Sexton and former Australia lock Scott Fardy come into the Leinster team.
Sexton skippers Leo Cullen’s side, having last started in the Champions Cup final defeat by Saracens.
Kearney’s place at full-back means Jordan Larmour moves to the wing, while Ross Byrne drops to the bench and Devin Toner, Dave Kearney and Sean O’Brien do not feature, with O’Brien expected to leave for London Irish this summer.
Warriors head coach Dave Rennie has urged “excitement machine” Hogg to concentrate on reproducing his recent form.
“We tried to put the brakes on him today – he went berserk yesterday at training,” Rennie said.
“He’s an excitement machine. He’s desperate to go out on a big note and all we need him to do is to play as well as he has in the last few weeks and hopefully it’s enough.”
Rennie said that, after a stunning 50-20 win over Ulster in the semi-final, his players are relishing the prospect of playing in the first rugby union match ever to be staged at Celtic Park.
“The field is immaculate and the stadium has a bit of a South African feel to it with the massive stadium, high walls and the crowd being really close,” the New Zealander said. “It will be pretty special when it’s full.”
Rennie hopes that a few on-the-day purchases will boost further the 43,000 ticket sales on a day when Hampden Park in hosting football’s Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Hearts.
“But having 40-odd thousand here, 50-odd down the road, that’s a hell of an effort from the Glasgow community,” he said.
The only change to the Glasgow squad is Siua Halanukonuka’s inclusion on the bench with D’Arcy Rae missing out.
While Warriors, whose last trophy win was the 2015 Pro12 title, overcame Ulster in their semi-final, Leinster defeated Munster 24-9.
The only previous meeting of the two sides this season ended in a 39-24 win for Glasgow in Dublin.
Line-ups
Glasgow Warriors: S Hogg, T Seymour, K Steyn, S Johnson, DTH van der Merwe; A Hastings, A Price; J Bhatti, F Brown, Z Fagerson, S Cummings, J Gray, R Harley, C Gibbins (capt), M Fagerson.
Replacements: G Stewart, O Kebble, S Halanukonuka, R Wilson, T Gordon, G Horne, P Horne, H Jones.
Leinster: R Kearney, J Larmour, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Lowe; J Sexton (capt), L McGrath; C Healy, S Cronin, T Furlong, S Fardy, J Ryan, R Ruddock, J van der Flier, J Conan.
Replacements: B Byrne, E Byrne, A Porter, R Molony, M Deegan, N McCarthy, R Byrne, R O’Loughlin.
GO GLASGOW!
Players out on the field
Hogg kicks off
:6th min penalty to Leinster
Accidental knee in ruck to Sexton’s head but he us up and ready to kick
Kick missed
End to end stuff lot of long kicks
Checking for foul play by Brown
Just a relieving penalty for Leinster lucky escape for Glasgow
Try Ali PRICE
Try was by Fagerson but Leinster score after changing down Highs kick
7/5 as Sexton misses
Hastings hold on instead if passing would have been a try
10/5 to Glasgow as Hastings gets penalty 23rd min
Brown down looks nasty. The one player Glasgow can’t lose now
Stewart on for Brown who is still getting treatment
Driven off something wrong with his leg
Try Healy 29th min
Glasgow 10/12 Leinster as conversion us over
Glasgow have had more possession and territory but Leinster are so street smart
Leinster being praised by commentator for good defence when the player didnt release Glasgow player in the tackle
10/15 penalty over by Sexton 36th nin
Halftime 10/15 to Leinster
Second half underway come on Glasgow. Pouring rain in Glasgow
Yellow card Steyn not rolling away!
Sexton going for corner
10/18 52nd min. Bhatti and Harley off Kebble and Wilson on
Peter Horne on for Johnson who was down injured earlier
Leinster penalty and they opt to scrum they have dominated this half
Great defence Glasgow force a knock on
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