Jim Hamilton has warned Glasgow there is no chance Saracens will take their eye off the ball in Sunday's Champions Cup showdown.

Warriors are looking forward to their first ever quarter-final clash at Allianz Park.

While Gregor Townsend's men are rookies when it comes to experiencing the latter stages of European competition, they will be up against a side who have done it all before having lifted the trophy last term.

But former Scotland lock Hamilton insists his Sarries side are in no doubt about the quality of opposition they are facing this weekend and will be taking nothing for granted.

The 34-year-old told Press Association Sport: "I promise you - and this is not just lip-service - we are taking Glasgow extremely seriously.

"That is one of the values Saracens have. We prepare the same no matter who we are playing.

"We're looking at Glasgow and looking for chinks in their armour - but there aren't many.

"They put 50 points on Leicester, they have a very functional scrum and don't concede many penalties. They score a lot of tries, they play a lot of rugby and hold onto the ball.

"Their defence is very good and they have an amazing kicking game. They have Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Tommy Seymour, so their brand of rugby is absolutely exceptional and we are well aware of that.

"But so is ours. We're a very good side but we are definitely giving Glasgow the respect they deserve."

Hamilton is looking forward to pitting himself against some of the Scotland team-mates he played alongside before announcing his international retirement last year.

But he confessed the clash will put his new-found inner calmness to the test.

"Hopefully I won't need to have that extra emotional edge this weekend," he said. "For a lot of my career I played with that emotionally charged mentality - and it got me trouble a lot of the time as we know.

"But that's one thing I've tried to change, without being too boring. I'm concentrating on making each match just another game of rugby.

"I've only had one yellow card in the last three years so my discipline is dramatically better. But I've had to change my mindset from the old school one where you could have a scuffle here and there. You can't do that any more and it's quite an exhausting way to play. So that as well as my experience of big games, of having kids, have helped to widen my perspective on control.

"Naturally, though, there will be an extra incentive this weekend as I'll be playing against a lot of guys that I have played with.

"I'll be up against Jonny Gray who I played with before and have helped him a little bit in the early days with his understanding of the line-out.

"I'm good mates with Ryan Wilson and I've also been there to see Stuart Hogg flourish into the world-class player he is.

"I always want to see the Scottish sides do well and it's fantastic to see Glasgow now on the world stage, because that is where this competition puts you.

"But for me personally, I have played in a lot of quarter-finals and hopefully it will just be like another game."