Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend is delighted to welcome back fly-half Finn Russell as they welcome an unbeaten Ulster side in the Guinness PRO12 on Friday.

Russell has not featured for the Warriors since last season’s Play-Off defeat to Connacht in Galway, will wear the No.10 shirt on his 24th birthday.

The Warriors have an enviable record at Scotstoun – they have only lost one league game there since November 2013.

They have won their last nine there but after defeat to Cardiff Blues last time out – Townsend is hoping for a response in a much-changed starting XV.

He said: “Ulster are a quality team and have recruited very well this season. We know it’ll be a tough test but it’s a game we’re all really looking forward to.

“It’s a boost to have Finn Russell back from injury. He’s been really positive since his return to training and played well for Ayr in the BT Premiership last weekend.

“Tomorrow will be a special occasion for Lewis Wynne and Tjiuee Uanivi, who will make their first starts, and also for Matt Fagerson and Sam Thomson who could make their debuts from the bench.

“Lewis is learning every week and is working hard for the team and deserves his starting place. We’re also looking forward to seeing Tjiuee starting after some impressive appearances off the bench.

“For Matt (Fagerson) and Sam (Thomson) it’s a big opportunity to go out and take the game to Ulster.”

Lewis Wynne will make his first start and fourth appearance for the Warriors lining up at open-side flanker.

Namibian international Tjiuee Uanivi will also make his first start on his third competitive appearance for the club.

On the bench 18-year-old backrower Matt Fagerson, brother of Zander, and 22-year-old second-row Sam Thomson could both feature for the first time.

tommyseymourglalei1617sb1000
In-form Tommy Seymour starts on the left wing for Glasgow Warriors

Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss has made a total of nine personnel and positional changes as his side hope to maintain their unbeaten run.

Returning Irish international Jared Payne will make his first appearance of the season as he starts at full-back, in a back three that sees Charles Piutau move to the left wing, with Louis Ludik starting on the right.

Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson, who have both already picked up Man of the Match awards in the opening three rounds, are retained at half-back, while Stuart McCloskey will be joined in the midfield by Darren Cave.

Rob Herring will captain the side from hooker and will be joined in the front row by Andy Warwick and Rodney Ah You, while Franco van der Merwe comes in to join Alan O’Connor in the second row.

Following a second-half appearance in last week’s victory over Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium, Iain Henderson will start against Glasgow and will be partnered in the back row by Sean Reidy and Roger Wilson.

Ireland captain Rory Best will hope to make his first appearance of the season as he makes up a strong looking list of replacements.

Ulster’s only loss in their last eight Guinness PRO12 encounters came in last season’s semi-final to Leinster at the RDS Arena and the return of Jackson last weekend had Kiss purring.

Guinness PRO12, Kingspan Stadium, Belfast 16/9/2016 Ulster vs Scarlets Ulster's Paddy Jackson receives his Guinness PRO2 Man of the Match medal from Colin Bell of Guinness Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Presseye/Darren Kidd

“We’ve done a bit of chopping and changing in our backline and we haven’t forged combinations as such but we’ll probably get to that in the next two or three weeks,” Kiss said.

“We’ve got a couple more guys back from international duty next week so again there’ll be a few more changes.

“The influence of Paddy was obvious, he had the ball on a string and he ran the ball well.

“I thought he did really, really well at managing the game on his first start back this season.

“It was a really consummate performance from Paddy.”

Glasgow Warriors: Hogg; Sarto, Bennett, Dunbar, Seymour; Russell, Pyrgos; Reid, Brown, Z.Fagerson; Peterson, Gray; Uanivi, Wynne, Wilson

Replacements: MacArthur, Allan, Puafisi, Thomson, M.Fagerson, Price, Grigg, Hughes

Ulster: Payne; Ludik, Cave, McCloskey, Piutau; Jackson, Pienaar; Warwick, Herring, Ah You, O’Connor, van der Merwe, Henderson, Reidy, Wilson

Replacements: Best, Black, Kane, Browne, Ross, Marshall, Olding, Lyttle

Overall Guinness PRO12 head to head record:
Played 29, Glasgow Warriors won 14, Ulster won 14, and 1 game drawn.

At Scotstoun Stadium, 7:35pm. Live on BBC Sport NI
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 51st competition game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Brickell (WRU), Cammy Rudkin (SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Douglas Hunter (SRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)