Gregor Brown will make his return from injury in Belfast on Friday as Glasgow Warriors named him in the starting XV to face Ulster at Affidea Stadium. The 23-year-old is set for his first outing since playing for Scotland against Ireland in the final match of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations.

Glasgow made three changes from the side that beat Cardiff at Scotstoun last weekend to book a home quarter-final in the BKT United Rugby Championship, with Nathan McBeth coming into the front row alongside Johnny Matthews and Zander Fagerson. Brown partners Alex Samuel in the second row, while Ally Miller shifts to blindside to make room for his return, with Matt Fagerson and Macenzzie Duncan completing the back row.

George Horne and Dan Lancaster continue at half-back, while Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall start in midfield for a second successive outing in the BKT URC. Kyle Steyn and Kyle Rowe keep their places on the wings after both crossed in the win over Cardiff, and Josh McKay starts at full-back. Rory Sutherland is included in the matchday 23, and Jare Oguntibeju wears the number 19 jersey once more.

Brown’s comeback gives Franco Smith another option in a match that carries no bearing on Glasgow’s place in the table after last Friday’s win sealed home advantage in the quarter-finals. But Ulster need points to keep their playoff push alive and are also building toward next week’s Challenge Cup final, which helps explain why the Edinburgh-style edge around this fixture has not gone away even with Glasgow already secure.

Smith said Ulster would arrive desperate to make the playoffs and continue their form before the final, adding that Glasgow were glad to welcome Brown back into the squad after a strong spell of work with the medical and conditioning staff. He also said the team expected a difficult night in Belfast and were looking forward to the challenge. Euan Ferrie could also make his return from the injury he picked up against the DHL Stormers, giving Glasgow further depth as they move toward the knockout stage.

The final league game of the 2025/26 regular season now serves as Glasgow’s last chance to sharpen combinations before the quarter-final, and the timing is useful for Brown as much as for the coaching staff. Kick-off is at 7.45pm on Friday 15 May, with the match at Affidea Stadium closing the regular season and offering Glasgow one more full-speed test before the stakes rise again.