As Glasgow Warriors continue their preparations for Sunday’s Heineken Cup match against Gloucester at Kingsholm, captain Alastair Kellock cast his thoughts ahead to the Warriors’ next two Magners League fixtures – the back-to-back 1872 Cup derbies against Edinburgh - and says that the two games are bigger than ever before.

The first of the 1872 Cup derbies is at Firhill on Sunday 27 January (kick-off 3.05pm) before the return leg at Murrayfield on Saturday 2 January (kick-off 3.05pm). Both games are live on STV.

Tickets to the first leg at Firhill - priced at £15 for adults in advance (£20 on match days), £10 for students and senior citizens and just £5 for under 18s – can be purchased now by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 800 3490, by CLICKING HERE or by visiting Greaves Sports (located on Gordon Street and Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow’s city centre).

He said: “In my early days when I was at Edinburgh, these games were big events, but nothing like they are now.

“There’s a lot more publicity about it and the fans really buy into it which is fantastic because both teams will be looking to get as many of their supporters at each game as they possibly can.”

Never before have Scotland’s two professional teams occupied the top spots in the Magners League going into the festive period, and now Kellock admits that there is now more than just bragging rights at stake.

He continued: “The 1872 Cup has even more emphasis this year because of the position of Glasgow and Edinburgh in the Magners League. The fact that we’re first and second gives it an added extra.

“So as well as all the local rivalry, there are all the personal rivalries and there’s also the fact that we’re the top two teams in the Magners League which makes it even more important that we get as much as we can out of the games.”

However, although the league position contributes to the anticipation of both matches, Kellock knows that the competitiveness of the league is attracting more and more people to the festive derbies.

“There are all sorts of reasons why these games have grown and grown – the Magners League is going really well, the teams from the Magners League are doing really well in Europe – which all just adds to the 1872 Cup being two massive games for both teams.”