Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley is hoping that victory over Scottish rivals Glasgow Warriors in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Friday can kick-start their season.

The opening leg of the 1872 Cup takes place this Friday, and injury to Nick De Luca means that captain Greig Laidlaw and Piers Francis will make up the half-back partnership.

Top try-scorer Tim Visser and inside-centre Matt Scott are welcomed back into the backline with ever-present Greig Tonks starting at full-back.

Allan Jacobsen and Willem Nel are preferred to John Yapp and Geoff Cross alongside hooker Ross Ford in the front-row, while lock Izak van der Westhuizen returns to partner Grant Gilchrist.

The pack is completed by the back-row of Roddy Grant, Stuart McInally and returning blind-side flanker David Denton, and Bradley is eagerly anticipating the clash.

“These derby matches are very important to the club, and our fans in particular are very excited about them,” said Bradley.

“We obviously lost the series last year so, in my time here, we're zero from one and I'd like to change that, giving us a very clear target over the next two weeks.

“Glasgow are seven points ahead of us in the league and there are at least eight points up for grabs from these two matches, which could change the dynamic of our title race.

“I think they'll be very confident in their new home so it will be up to us to put pressure on them, get the win, take them back here and finish the job off at Murrayfield in front of our home fans a week later.

“We've won two games on the bounce in this competition and it’s important we keep that going. Next on the list is Glasgow. There's no doubting this is a massive game but, importantly, this is about championship points.”

Edinburgh have won their last two PRO12 fixtures but have not won three in succession in the tournament since October 2010.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have slipped to four straight defeats in all competitions and came close to winning at Castres on Sunday, slipping to a 10-8 defeat inside the last ten minutes.

Despite losing their last two PRO12 clashes, Gregor Townsend’s men have won three of the last four PRO12 contests at Scotstoun.

Glasgow currently hold the 1872 trophy having gained a win and a draw from last season's festive fixtures.

And going into Friday’s encounter, talismanic skipper Al Kellock is set to return to the Warriors starting line-up after recovering from an arm injury against Castres a fortnight ago.

Having impressed last week in the Heineken Cup, Ruaridh Jackson and Niko Matawalu resume their half-back partnership with Peter Horne and Sean Lamont again the centre pairing.

Peter Murchie is the only personnel change to the back line which faced Castres last week, taking the full-back position as Sean Maitland moves to the wing.

Tommy Seymour, who signed a new contract with the Warriors this week, drops out of the squad with Stuart Hogg covering the back-line from the substitutes bench.

Scotland under-20 international Jonny Gray, younger brother of Scotland star, Richie, is set to make his senior professional debut after being named on the bench for the clash.

And Townsend is taking heart from his side’s recent performances despite watching them fall to consecutive Heineken Cup defeats.

“I was very pleased with way we attacked Castres for long spells of the game last week – the players showed ambition, pace and intensity,” he said.

“If we’re to win this game on Friday we need to have a similar level of performance. We’re preparing for a very tough contest against one of the best attacking teams in the PRO12.

“They can put out a very strong pack with a number of different ways of playing so we need to be absolutely on top of our game. It's a massive occasion for Scottish Rugby and there's a lot at stake for both teams.

“I expect a lot of intensity on both sides and with the RBS 6 Nations not too far away, there is no doubt about added motivation around selection for the national team.

“For us, the focus has to be on our position in the PRO12 and over the course of the next two games there are points which can propel us back towards the play-off places.”

At Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm.
Referee: Jerome Garces (FFR, 4th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew McMenemy, Bob Nevins (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Kirk (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

Live on BBC ALBA