Revenge is a dish best served cold but Jake White would rather it was removed completely from the menu. His club are not so sure, however. While the esteemed Bulls coach was doing his best to distance himself from some of the more emotive language surrounding Friday night’s clash with the Glasgow Warriors, the South African side’s official social media account was happily retweeting a post from the United Rugby Championship proclaiming the Scotstoun showdown as ‘THE REVENGE MATCH’. White is reluctant to give opponents additional motivational material pre-match but he knows there is a special edge to Friday. It is the first time, after all, that the teams have met since Glasgow stunned the Bulls 21-16 in their own backyard in last season’s URC final. And what undermines White’s low-key stance are his comments from last weekend when he said that the date of the Warriors rematch has been “written on the wall” since pre-season and that it “was always going to the game we were going hard for”. Such proclamations have been seized upon. As Glasgow head coach Franco Smith noted drily yesterday, “their fire was stoked”. Smith’s assistant, Nigel Carolan, was a lot more expansive earlier in the week when he said “they’re obviously coming with a vendetta”, adding, “their whole season is about getting revenge”. White, seemingly rowing back from his earlier remarks, has banned his players from talking about last year’s final with the media and seemed perplexed when Carolan’s comments were put to him. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never met the man,” said the Bulls coach. “I've got no idea why he would say that. “Our whole season is revenge? I don't even know how he gets to that basis. “You know, I don't coach rugby on revenge. It was an opportunity for us to win. We didn't take it and we get a chance to evaluate ourselves against the champions of the competition from last year. “It is absolutely nonsense that this is a revenge game where the season's based on the whole thing. It just so happens that we are third, they are second, and it's now becomes even a bigger game in terms of log points and opportunities to play deeper in the competition at home. “And that's fantastic. I think the URC guys that put this competition together would be loving the fact that this weekend, it's all or nothing for two teams that are two and three and a team that's won it a year ago.” A win for Glasgow would make them all but uncatchable in second place with two rounds remaining of the regular season. They have already guaranteed themselves a play-off quarter-final at Scotstoun but finishing second would also give them home advantage in the semis, were they to qualify. The Bulls go into Friday’s game four points behind the Warriors so a win would see them leapfrog Smith’s side and put them in pole position to finish runners-up behind runaway leaders Leinster. “Regardless of revenge, they're a South African team,” said Smith. “They're third in the log, they want to win away from home, they want to finish second so they can have home advantage [in the semi-finals]. “It's a lot to play for. We must just be on our own game and apply ourselves to the best we can and hope we can improve on our own performance.” Smith has made eight changes to the team that laboured to victory over Zebre last week and there was mixed news on the injury front. Scott Cummings returns to the squad for the first time since fracturing his arm against Harlequins in January and the Scotland second-row is named on the bench. But Glasgow are without full-back Josh McKay who has picked up an infection on the ankle that was recently operated on. “I don't know where it’s come from or what happened exactly,” said Smith. “Hopefully in 10 days' time he will be back on the field.” In McKay’s absence, Ollie Smith moves from 13 to his preferred full-back role and Kyle Steyn switches from the wing to outside centre, with Kyle Rowe coming in on the left wing. There are changes at half-back, with George Horne and Tom Jordan taking over from the benched Jamie Dobie and Adam Hastings. Up front, Zander Fagerson has not recovered from a calf injury and Patrick Schickerling comes in at tighthead in place of Fin Richardson who has a back problem. Nathan McBeth is preferred on the other side of the scrum to Jamie Bhatti who is named among the replacements. Max Williamson takes over from Jare Oguntibeju at lock and Gregor Brown and Rory Darge come in for Euan Ferrie and Sione Vailanu in the back row, with the latter two on the bench. Glasgow are still missing many of their frontline players, with Jack Dempsey, JP du Preez, Matt Fagerson, Huw Jones, Rory Sutherland and Sione Tuipulotu all joining McKay and Zander Fagerson on the injured list. The good news for Warriors supporters is that Smith is confident Jones and Tuipulotu could be available for the club’s next game, against Benetton in a fortnight. “Yes, there's a very good chance,” said the coach. “Both of them are training well. I will be excited if they will be cleared next week. To have them involved in that game will be fantastic.” Glasgow Warriors v Vodacom Bulls (URC, Scotstoun, 7.35pm) Glasgow Warriors: Ollie Smith; Sebastian Cancelliere, Kyle Steyn (capt), Stafford McDowall, Kyle Rowe; Tom Jordan, George Horne; Nathan McBeth, Gregor Hiddleston, Patrick Schickerling, Max Williamson, Alex Samuel, Gregor Brown, Rory Darge, Jack Mann. Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Jamie Bhatti, Sam Talakai, Scott Cummings, Euan Ferrie, Sione Vailanu, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings. Vodacom Bulls: Devon Williams; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johann Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Jannes Kirsten, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marco van Staden. Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Jacobus Grobbelaar, Marcell Coetzee, Keagan Johannes, Willie le Roux, Stedman Gans. Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU).