The Italian side have been by far the better so far - and deservedly lead.

Rhyno Smith kicks the first points of this URC season.

A spell of kick tennis ends with a Glasgow line-out just inside the Benetton half.

Benetton steal it though - worrying times for the Glasgow set-piece.

Benetton had Glasgow back-pedalling again there, but the penalty decision goes Glasgow's way on this occasion.

The Warriors might have got away with that one.

Glasgow defend the lineout well and win another scrum.

This one needs to be far more solid if the visitors are to clear their lines.

Warning signs for Glasgow as they lose their first scrum of the game against the head.

Benetton got a huge shove on and win a penalty.

They kick into the corner and have a big chance early on...

Giacomo Da Re gets the new season under way...

Safely pouched by Richie Gray.

Kyle Steyn leads Glasgow out - it looks like a thoroughly pleasant evening in Treviso.

Kick-off is just moments away.

First though, the players and fans alike will have a minute's silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

Benetton finished 13th in last season's URC, winning six and drawing one of their 18 regular league fixtures.

They beat Glasgow in this fixture last year - a last-gap Leonardo Marin penalty secured a 19-18 victory for the Italian side.

The main man to keep an eye on is Rhyno Smith. The Benetton full-back was the third highest points-scorer (142) and try-scorer (10) in the 2021-22 tournament; he also made the fifth-most clean breaks.

Smith has sprung a few surprises with his first starting XV.

Perhaps the biggest news comes at fly-half, where Ross Thompson and Domingo Miotti are both out injured. Auckland-born Tom Jordan, a stand-out in the Super6 competition with the Ayrshire Bulls in recent times, is the man trusted at 10, making his professional debut.

Lucio Sordoni and Sintu Manjezi also pull on Glasgow jerseys for the first time in the forward pack.

Kyle Steyn, in his new role as captain, will lead out Glasgow for the first time - he starts on the left wing.

Image source, SNS

Glasgow parted company with Danny Wilson in June after the humbling 76-14 URC quarter-final defeat away to Leinster.

Former Italy head coach Franco Smith is the man trusted to turn things around at Scotstoun; the former Sprinkbok international spoke after his appointment about the importance of his players having the freedom to express themselves.

"Professional rugby over the years has forced everybody to be really detailed and disciplined", he said. "That's all part of the process, but we must keep the joy and excitement.

"I want to organise players so they can express themselves, so they can get enjoyment and be creative in what they do."

Image source, SNS

Benetton: Smith, Padovani, Brex, Riera, Mendy, Da Re, Duvenage; Nemer, Lucchesi, Ferrari, Scrafton, Ruzza, Pettinelli, Zuliani, Cannone.

Replacements: Nicotera, Zani, Pasquali, Cannone, Lamaro, Hidalgo-Clyne, Zanon, Bellini

Glasgow Warriors: Forbes, Cancelliere, Tuipulotu, McDowall, Steyn, Jordan, Horne; Bhatti, Matthews, Sordoni, Bean, Gray, Manjezi, M Fagerson, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, Kebble, Z Fagerson, Cummings, Darge, Gordon, Price, Weir.

The United Rugby Championship returns for a new campaign and we start in north-east Italy as Glasgow travel to Treviso to face Benetton.

The Warriors have a new head coach and a new captain as they look to move on from a disappointing season last time out.