ALEX DUNBAR is relieved to regain his Glasgow Warriors place for tonight's Pro12 fixture at home to Scarlets after his call of duty for Scotland.

Gregor Townsend's men take on the Welsh side at Scotstoun with kick-off at 6.35pm.

Warriors beat the Welsh side 17-12 at Parc y Scarlets in October and are going for a first campaign double over the Welshmen since season 2009/10.

But with Scarlets having won on two of their last three visits to Glasgow, Dunbar is wary of the threat posed by the boyos from the valleys.

The powerful centre was an ever-present for Scotland throughout another disappointing RBS Six Nations campaign.

Dunbar's burgeoning partnership with Edinburgh's Matt Scott was arguably the outstanding positive to emerge from a second bottom finish that yielded just a solitary victory over Italy.

But Townsend has elected to start the mild-mannered back in tandem with Richie Vernon and Dunbar is hungry for the impending battle with the Welsh side, who sit just seven points behind fifth-placed Glasgow.

He said: "None of the Scotland boys was thinking we were going to walk straight back into the side. The competition for places is so intense and although we had lost our last two games away from home to Leinster and the Dragons there were a lot of big performances in them.

"So I am really pleased to be starting with Richie and looking to build a good partnership with him. He has arguably been one of the most consistent performers for Glasgow during the Six Nations period and he is revelling in his new role as a centre."

Dunbar went on: "Obviously we got the better of Scarlets at their place in the first game between us and it would be fantastic to do the double over them.

"But if they want to keep their play-off hopes alive they must beat us and only our best is going to be good enough."

Although Glasgow have been boosted by the return of club captain Al Kellock following his recovery from bicep surgery, he will start on the bench along with another recovered crock, winger Sean Maitland.

Townsend has made Chris Cusiter skipper for his second consecutive game.

The coach said: "This is a really important period of the season and it's great that six of our last eight games will be in front of our home support.

"Scarlets are only seven points and one place behind us in sixth, so they pose a huge threat.

"Although we won down in Wales in October, they beat us home and away last season, so they know what it's like to win at Scotstoun.