Guinness PRO12: Zebre v Glasgow Warriors preview
Last Updated: 13/02/15 4:14pm
Al Kellock will his 150th appearance for Glasgow Warriors in Sunday’s Guinness PRO12 fixture with Zebre at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
The Scotland international, who is in his ninth season with the Warriors, will continue to captain the side from the second row as they seek a fifth victory from six PRO12 matches.
With a number of players on Six Nations duty, Gregor Townsend has been forced into wholesale changes for the trip to the league’s basement side.
Peter Murchie comes in at full-back with Lee Jones named on the wing on his return from injury.
Richie Vernon is back at outside centre, having played at No 8 in last month’s loss to Bath in the Rugby Champions Cup, and he will form a new midfield partnership with debutant Fraser Lyle.
Peter Horne is selected at fly-half, having featured for Scotland against France last weekend. He partners Niko Matawalu, who joins Bath at the end of the season.
Alex Allan, Pat MacArthur and Mike Cusack form the front-row partnership, while Tim Swinson returns from injury to partner Kellock in the second row.
"We're looking forward to returning to action after a three-week break, but we'll face a tough challenge over in Parma on Sunday afternoon,” said Townsend.
"This is an opportunity for a number of players to show what they are capable of and I'm delighted for Fraser (Lyle), who will be making his debut for the club.
"Zebre have always given us a really tough game on their home patch and they've already beaten Edinburgh and Ulster and run Ospreys close at home this season.
"Sunday will be a special day for Al (Kellock) as he joins a special group of Warriors to make 150 appearances for the club and I'd like to congratulate him on reaching this milestone.”
Zebre: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Dion Berryman, 13 Tommaso Iannone, 12 Micro Bergamasco, 11 Giulio Toniolatti, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Brendon Leonard; 1 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Oliviero Fabiani, 3 Luca Redolfini, 4 Andrei Mahu, 5 Agustin Cavalieri, 6 Valerio Bernabo, 7 Filippo Cristiano, 8 Jacopo Sarto.
Replacements: 16 Luigi Ferraro, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Luciano Leibson, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Ruben Riccioli, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Matteo Pratichetti, 23 Edoardo Padovani.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Fraser Lyle, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Peter Horne, 9 Niko Matawalu; 1 Alex Allan, 2 Pat MacArthur, 3 Mike Cusack, 4 Tim Swinson, 5 Al Kellock (c), 6 James Eddie, 7 Tyrone Holmes, 8 Leone Nakawara.
Replacements: 16 Kevin Bryce, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Will Bordill, 21 Ali Price, 22 Connor Braid, 23 Rory Hughes.
Watch Zebre v Glasgow Warriors live on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday from 12.45pm