Rugby

Rugby Warriors will have battle on their hands against Leinster

Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend knows his side will have to excel to deny table-topping Leinster in tonight's Guinness Pro12 clash at the RDS Arena, in Dublin, kick-off 7.35pm.

For the Warriors, full-back Tommy Seymour is set to make his 100th club appearance for the Glasgow side, who sit sixth in the table 12 points adrift of Leo Cullen's Leinster squad.

It will be Seymour’s first game since he was included in the British and Irish Lions squad for the summer tour to New Zealand.

“Leinster are a team we always look forward to playing, they’re one of the best teams in Europe and play really positive rugby,'' Townsend told http://www.pro12rugby.com

“We’ll have to go there and play really well to come away with a win.

“It's been a good couple of weeks for Tommy, he’s always looking to develop and better himself and it’s great for him to reach a personal milestone.

“Having signed a new contract earlier in the season I’m sure he’ll go on to shine for the club many more times in the future.''

Meanwhile Leinster head coach Cullen has announced a number of changes from the team that faced Clermont in the Champions Cup semi-final last Sunday.

Ross Molony has been named as captain for the first time in a competitive game.

He had skippered Leinster in a pre-season friendly against Bath but will lead the side out for the first time in the Guinness PRO12 tournament.

There are other milestones celebrated at the Ballsbridge venue tonight with Zane Kirchner starting his last regular season game in the RDS before he departs to the Newport Gwent Dragons.

In the centre Carlow man Tom Daly starts his first game at the RDS and UCD’s Nick McCarthy starts his first ever game for Leinster at scrum-half.

Mike Ross, who is set to retire, starts his last regular season game at the RDS at tight head.

Tonight's other games: Cardiff Blues v Zebre; Edinburgh v Newport Gwent Dragons.