Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues - RaboDirect Pro12 match preview

Josh Navidi: Return at openside flanker for Blues

Alastair Kellock returns from Scotland duty for Warriors

Captain Alastair Kellock is back in the Glasgow Warriors side as Cardiff Blues visit Scotstoun Stadium on Friday in the RaboDirect PRO12.

Head coach Gregor Townsend has made five personnel changes and one positional switch to the team that defeated Ulster last week.

The Warriors are looking for their seventh league win in a row, following their 20-14 victory over the RaboDirect PRO12 leaders at a packed Scotstoun.

Kellock, Duncan Weir and Jon Welsh have all been recalled to the side after returning from Scotland duty this week, while the Warriors can also include Gordon Reid who missed the Ulster game having suffered a concussion the previous week against Dragons.

Also in the starting XV is DTH van der Merwe who was stretchered from the pitch as a precaution last week; he starts again on the left wing with Byron McGuigan on the opposite side in place of Tommy Seymour, who picked up an injury in training.

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Niko Matawalu continues at scrum-half, with Weir back as his half-back partner.

Peter Horne, who started at fly-half for the first time last week, moves in one spot to inside centre alongside Alex Dunbar with Peter Murchie again filling the full-back berth.

Reid and Welsh make up the front-row with Pat McArthur continuing at hooker as Kellock and Tim Swinson, a try-scorer last week, pack down in the engine room.

The back-row is a mix of strength, speed and guile with Josh Strauss, Ryan Wilson and John Barclay making up the breakaway unit.

Cardiff are without No 8 and club captain Andries Pretorius, who underwent shoulder surgery last Friday and is out for the rest of the season.

Alex Walker comes in at scrum-half for Lewis Jones while in the pack Luke Hamilton is promoted from the bench.

Josh Navidi returns at openside with Rory Watts-Jones switching flanks, while lock Lou Reed is the only other change to the starting XV.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Byron McGuigan, 13 Alex Dunbar, 12 Peter Horne, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Niko Matawalu, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Barclay, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Al Kellock (c), 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Gordon Reid.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Ofa Fainga'anuku, 18 Moray Low, 19 Tom Ryder, 20 James Eddie, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Scott Wight, 23 Graeme Morrison.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Chris Czekaj, 14 Owen Williams, 13 Richard Smith, 12 Gavin Evans (c), 11 Harry Robinson, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Alex Walker, 8 Luke Hamilton, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Rory Watts-Jones, 5 James Down, 4 Lou Reed, 3 Benoit Bourrust, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Tafufa'ao Filise.
Replacements: 16 Marc Breeze, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Tamba Petru, 19 Maauley Cook, 20 Thomas Young, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Cory Allen.

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