Danny Wilson has been showered with praise by the coach who intends to end Cardiff Blues’ unbeaten start to the season on Friday night.
Gregor Townsend – whose own Glasgow side have also begun their Guiness Pro 12 campaign with two victories – believes his Blues counterpart has transformed the region since he took over last year.
The strength of that turnaround with be severely tested at the Arms Park with Wilson already having stated that Glasgow are the strongest team in the league at present.
But with Wales pair Sam Warburton and Matthew Morgan making their first starts of the season, Townsend believes his team are in for a tough night.
“Cardiff were excellent at the end of last season and they have carried on that form,” said Townsend.
“They have key guys coming back – Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins, Alex Cuthbert – British Lions, and they seemed to have really turned a corner.
“A lot of that is down to Danny Wilson and his coaching staff, who get the team organised but also play ambitious rugby.”
Champions in 2015 and play-off semi-finalists last season, Glasgow have begun the campaign with wins over current title holders Connacht and Leinster.
But Townsend, who will leave the Warriors at the end of this season to take over as Scotland coach, believes the Blues will present their toughest challenge so far.
“It’s nice to get those two wins but we didn’t play as well as we’d hoped to last week.
“We got a bit of fortune against Leinster, they were the better team in the first half. I’m really pleased with the character and fitness, but we know we have a lot of work to do.
“We’re playing an unbeaten team this week who had a great win over in Munster, so this will be a real challenge.
Wilson has called up four Wales internationals into his starting line-up. Josh Turnbull and Warburton come into a reshuffled pack, replacing Macauley Cook and Nick Williams who drop to the bench.
Lloyd Williams is preferred to Tomos Williams and Morgan replaces Dan Fish, who has been ruled out due to a minor ankle injury.
“We have selected with an approach to beat Glasgow and then secondly to make sure this squad develops because the games come thick and fast,” Wilson said.
“At this minute Glasgow are the best team in the Championship. They have shown that again in the start they have made.
“They are a very well coached, a very well drilled side that have performed at the top end of the PRO12 for a long time.
“They have started this Championship well so it will be a huge challenge, our toughest game yet, but if we could get a win at home then what a platform to build on.
“I feel we’re in a similar place, we are an in-form team coming off the back of two wins and we will play them with huge confidence.”
For the Warriors Nick Grigg comes in to make his first competitive start for the Warriors.
Josh Strauss starts at No.8 after returning from injury, while Ryan Wilson moves to openside flanker and Rob Harley completes the back-row at blindside.
Both Ali Price and Rory Clegg make their first starts of the season in the half-back positions, while Peter Horne shifts to inside centre to accompany Nick Grigg who will wear 13 on his first competitive start.
Lee Jones also makes his first start of the campaign on the left wing, Stuart Hogg starts at full-back and last week’s man of the match Tommy Seymour will look to continue his try-scoring form on the other flank having scored six in the opening two games.
