MARK BENNETT still has the noise of a passionate Scotland crowd ringing in his ears from this summer's Commonwealth Games.

But his is determined to give Glasgow Warriors fans something to shout about this time around in today's Guinness PRO12 opener.

Bennett was prominent in the Scotland Sevens squad that impressed at the Games, scoring tries against Canada, Barbados and South Africa in front of a ­bumper crowd at Ibrox. But ­despite relishing that experience, the 21-year-old is now firmly focused on domestic matters.

Warriors begin their campaign this afternoon at Scotstoun when Leinster, the team that beat them in the PRO12 final back in May, come to town, and Bennett is keen to keep the feel-good factor from the Games going this afternoon.

He said: "It's been a slightly different pre-season for me. I was playing at the Commonwealth Games for the Scotland Sevens so I came back into training here a bit later than some of the boys.

"I'm fortunate you could say to miss out on a lot of the hard work! But the rest of the guys have been putting the graft in and you can see from the first two games we are fit and strong. The skills are there as well so we are in a great position.

"I've only really been here for the last two weeks. A lot of the fitness building starts earlier in that so I missed a fair chunk of it, but I've made sure I'm in good shape for the start of the season.

"The Games were unbelievable. The atmosphere was crazy. For Glasgow as a city it was absolutely buzzing, it was mobbed no matter where you were. I loved it.

"Running out for the first game at Ibrox against New Zealand was the stand-out moment for me. Hearing the roar from the home crowd was just incredible.

"There was a record crowd for sevens over the two days and if we can get a small fraction of that it'll be a huge boost for Warriors.

"We did ourselves proud so hopefully a few will want to come along to see us."

Tickets have been selling fast for today's encounter that sees Gregor Townsend's men face the toughest start to the campaign they could have imagined. However, Bennett is keen to set the record straight.

The Irish were comfortable 34-12 winners in Dublin in last season's showpiece event, and the talented young centre says Warriors now have a point to prove.

He said: "It's a huge game. A repeat of last year's final was always going to be a massive thing, no matter when in the season it was going to take place.

"After the final we feel that we owe them one. They were the better side that day but we want to come out on top today.

"I think we did ourselves justice in parts. A few little things changed the game. Once we started chasing the game Leinster just put us away.

"Maybe there was a feeling we didn't finish as strongly as we could have and we want to redeem ourselves today."