Chris Kinloch, Glasgow’s 20-year-old winger, will make his competitive debut for the Warriors against Ulster at Ravenhill tomorrow night (kick-off 7:30pm).

Kinloch, who was awarded a contract with The Biggest Team in Glasgow last summer, scored in each of his two appearances (against Castres and Beziers) in the Warriors’ successful pre-season tour to France at the XV Challenge Vacquerin.

Looking forward to making his Magners League bow, Kinloch said: “I’ve been looking forward to earning my first start for a while now. I can’t wait to get out there in a Glasgow jersey.

“The pre-season competition in France was a great opportunity for me to stake a claim for a professional contract, now I’ve got to prove to the coaches and my team-mates that I can step up to the next level and compete in the Magners League.”

Warriors head coach, Sean Lineen, added: “Chris impressed us in France and showed he’s a very good finisher. He’s come on a lot since being involved fulltime in the professional environment and deserves this chance to prove himself at this level.”
 
Kinloch replaces Colin Shaw in the only change to the back division that faced Cardiff Blues two weeks ago. Shaw is currently with the Scotland 7s squad at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.
 
In the pack, Kevin Tkachuk is in for Justin Va’a at loose-head prop and will link up with Fergus Thomson who will start at hooker for the first time in almost two months.
 
With captain Alastair Kellock out through injury, Opeta Palepoi steps into the second row. Dan Parks takes the captain’s armband.
 
Back-row Calum Forrester swaps places with Stevie Swindall to make his third start for the Warriors.
 
Two future prospects, Glasgow Hawks scrum-half Peter Jericevich and West of Scotland fullback Peter Horne, both members of Scottish Rugby’s National Academy and part of the Scotland under-20 squad, could make it a hat-trick of debuts if they taste front-line action off the bench.

Glasgow Warriors team to play Ulster in the Magners League at Ravenhill on Saturday 7 March (kick-off 7:30pm)

15 Bernardo Stortoni

14 Hefin O’Hare
13 Jose Maria Nunez Piossek
12 Ruaridh Jackson
11 Chris Kinloch

10 Dan Parks CAPTAIN
9 Mark McMillan

1 Kevin Tkachuk
2 Fergus Thomson
3 Moray Low
4 Dan Turner
5 Opeta Palepoi
6 Calum Forrester
7 Kelly Brown
8 Johnnie Beattie

Substitutes
16 Eric Milligan
17 Ed Kalman
18 Tim Barker
19 Stevie Swindall
20 Richie Gray
21 Peter Jericevich*
22 Peter Horne*

* = Member of Scottish Rugby’s Contracted National Academy