Stuart Hogg has been voted player of the 2016 RBS Six Nations after a tournament that saw him score two tries but also create a further three with nicely timed offloads to John Barclay, Tommy Seymour and that outrageous overhead flip to Tim Visser. He also finally nailed a long range penalty. Congratulations to Hoggy.
This week the Pen has been busy with new contracts for academy players, Peter Murchie with a one year deal and Canadian international prop Djustice Sears-Duru has signed a short-term contract until the end of the season. The academy players are Scotland under-20 captain Scott Cummings, who signed a three-year deal, while hooker James Malcolm has signed for two years and centre Nick Grigg has penned a one-year contract.
Cummings is a great prospect to partner Jonny Gray long term, however of the three, only Malcolm is required tonight as Gregor Townsend has announced a pretty much full strength team and bench in a last ditch effort to get up into the playoff mix. Malcolm is the only uncapped player in the 23 with most of the Scotland team straight back into action, and they can still afford to leave out form players like Rory Hughes, Pete Horne and Simone Favaro.
Glasgow team to face Ulster (live on BBC Alba and BBC Website, k.o. 1935 GMT):
S Hogg, T Seymour, M Bennett, A Dunbar, S Lamont, F Russell, H Pyrgos; G Reid, F Brown, S Puafisi, J Gray (capt), L Nakarawa, R Harley, C Fusaro, J Strauss.
Replacements: J Malcolm, J Yanuyanutawa, Z Fagerson, T Swinson, R Wilson, G Hart, D Weir, T Naiyaravoro.
Ulster: S Olding, C Gilroy, L Marshall, S McCloskey, R Scholes, P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Herring (C), R Lutton, A O’Connor, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, N Williams.
Replacements: J Andrew, K McCall, A Warwick, R Diack, S Reidy, P Marshall, S Windsor, D Cave.
At the other end of the M8, Glasgow centre/fullback Glenn Bryce has signed to fill any Tonks or Beard-shaped holes that might be appearing next season, while Newport-Gwent Dragons utility back Jason Tovey has signed on loan until the end of the season to do the job until then. Edinburgh will face the Dragons on Easter Sunday. Scrum-halves Nathan Fowles and Sean Kennedy have inked 1 year contract extensions, and it was also reported that Edinburgh have signed Australian centre Solomoni Junior Rasolea on a two-year deal. Rasolea will join in time for next season from Super Rugby side Western Force. The 24-year-old has played for Australia Sevens and previously represented Fiji at Under-20 level.
Edinburgh will also send a team to the Melrose Sevens, perhaps in an effort to unearth their inner swashbuckler.
Edinburgh team to face Newport Gwent Dragons (live on BBC Alba and BBC Website, Sunday 27th, k.o 1430 GMT)
Blair Kinghorn, Damien Hoyland, Michael Allen, Sam Beard, Tom Brown, Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Al Dickinson, Ross Ford (capt), WP Nel, Anton Bresler, Ben Toolis, Hamish Watson, Cornell du Preez.
Replacements: Stuart McInally, Rory Sutherland, John Andress, Alex Toolis, Magnus Bradbury, Sean Kennedy, Chris Dean, Dougie Fife