SCOTLAND PAIR BACK TO TAKE ON WARRIORS

Scotland rugby internationals Darcy Graham and Dave Cherry are back in the Edinburgh line-up for today’s crucial encounter with Glasgow at BT Murrayfield.

The pair return from injury to take their place in Mike Blair’s side along with Hamish Watson, who was rested for the recent Challenge Cup defeat by Wasps.

Back-row forward Ben Muncaster and centre James Lang are also available again following injury and take their place on the bench alongside lock Marshall Sykes, who is free from suspension.

Stuart McInally has not recovered from a calf injury in time, with Adam McBurney providing hooker cover on the bench after facing Wasps.

More than 22,000 tickets have been sold for a game which will decide which Scottish team makes the Heineken Champions Cup next season, and also determine the destination for both sides’ United Rugby Championship quarter-finals. The losers will have to travel to Leinster.

Blair does not want the enormity of the occasion to be a burden on his players as he encouraged them to show the flair and freedom which have served them well at home this season.

The Edinburgh head coach said: “The one message from me is to go out and enjoy the game. We want to put absolutely everything into it, we want to be really sharp with our detail, our game management, our physicality.

“I don’t want it to be a burden because there is so much riding on it. I want it to be an experience for us, an opportunity to show the rugby public what we can do.”

Glasgow head coach Danny Wilson is delighted to be able to welcome Scotland wing Rufus McLean back into his starting XV for the highstakes showdown.

The highly regarded 22-year-old has been sidelined by a groin injury since February but he will be back in the Warriors side for the much-hyped trip along the M8.

Wilson said: “Derbies are the biggest games of the season and with a lot riding on this game, it certainly lives up to the billing.”