IT IS going to be tough, but Matt Taylor, the Glasgow Warriors defence coach, feels his players are ready to put the traumas of last weekend behind them and turn in a memorable performance when their European Champions Cup campaign gets under way against Northampton Saints on Saturday.

With the Paris atrocities forcing last weekend's match to be called off, the players are ready now ready to release some of their pent-up energy. "We had a training session on Saturday when we didn't have the game and we did a couple of the moves we want to do against Northampton," he revealed. "As professional coaches, you're always working one week ahead in your preparations, so the coaches had met in the morning and talked through what we were going to do.

"Then earlier this week we had one of the best training sessions we've had since I've been here. Hopefully, that puts us in good stead for the weekend. The guys were really up and aggressive and intense. It was great.

"They are a very good team. They are well coached and they won’t be complacent. In saying that, I think we've played three [English] Premiership teams over the last three years, all of them in the top four, and we did well. We are looking forward to it."

Fortunately, they had already worked out that many of the tactics prepared for Racing 92 last week, will work just as well against the English – both teams have giant packs that try to bully their way to victory. "Racing have probably played more off the back of the scrum, whereas Northampton might play more with power, but it has been very similar. It would have been more difficult with two very different teams. A lot of the preparation we did last week has suited this game coming up."|