SEAN LAMONT has spoken of his pride at being named in the starting line-up for Glasgow's opening game of the RaboDirect PRO12 campaign at Ulster on Friday night.

The 31-year-old will start his second spell with Glasgow seven years after he left Warriors for Northampton Saints – and is determined to make it a winning one.

In a surprise selection, Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend has left established Scotland stars like John Barclay, Chris Cusiter and Ryan Grant on the bench in favour of Chris Fusaro, Henry Pyrgos and Gordon Reid.

But a delighted Lamont said: "It is a big moment for me and I am just delighted to be in the starting line-up for the opener.

"There is so much competition for places at Glasgow now with three players competing for virtually every jersey.

"For me, that is proof of how far Glasgow have developed in my seven years away.

"I look at some of the guys on the bench, like Barclay and Cus, and that underlines the fact this is the strongest Glasgow squad ever."

Turning his attention to the dangers posed by the Heineken Cup runners-up at Ravenhill, Lamont has a simple recipe for success on opening night.

He said: "For me, it is all going to be about physicality. We must make our hits and tackles and defend well and, if we do all of that, we can then play on the front foot.

"Ulster have a lot of young guys in there and, in that respect, it will be a bit of a journey into the unknown.

"But the importance of opening with a win cannot be over-estimated."

GLASGOW: Murchie; Seymour, Dunbar, Morrison, Lamont; Weir, Pyrgos; Reid, Gillies, Cusack, Ryder, Kellock, Harley, Fusaro, Wilson.