Scotland hooker Fraser Brown has handed Glasgow another pre-derby boost after signing a two-year contract extension.

The 28-year-old has committed his future until the summer of 2020 and follows Niko Matawalu and Jonny Gray in signing fresh deals this week.

Brown has played 69 games since joining Warriors in 2013, having left Edinburgh two years earlier without making an appearance and going to work on his family farm while turning out for Heriot's.

The 29-times capped Scotland forward told Warriors TV: "My desire and my family's desire was always to stay here. This club means a great deal to me as they gave me the opportunity to come back into the professional environment after I left Edinburgh.

"Since I've joined I've gone from strength to strength, I've gone from being a squad player to a member of the 23.

"Being at Glasgow Warriors has allowed me to push on with my national ambitions as well as helping me to develop, not just as a player but as a person as well. We've got a great group of guys here and it's a brilliant squad.

"Having the knowledge that the coaches at Scotstoun and the coaches at BT Murrayfield are going to look after us the best they can in terms of the rest protocols and the day-to-day management was definitely big part of why I wanted to stay at Glasgow.

"It's exciting to sign my new contract ahead of the 1872 Cup double header with Edinburgh. There is always something a little bit special and a little bit extra about these derby games."

Brown will start in Saturday's Guinness PRO14 encounter, which is Glasgow head coach Dave Rennie's first taste of the derby.

Both sides will go into the match with confidence - Glasgow have won all 10 of their PRO14 fixtures this season while Edinburgh have won eight of their last nine matches in all competitions.

Rennie said: "It's important to our boys. It's bragging rights, it's a trial of sorts. It's like a State of Origin match if you're Australian. They're big encounters.

"I know coming from New Zealand all the derby matches were massive, they're brutal and it's almost Test match intensity. That's what I expect this weekend."