GLASGOW’S steady ascent from Pro 12 also-rans to champions has been the success story of Scottish rugby in recent seasons, but so far a similar improvement in European competition has eluded Gregor Townsend’s side. The relative severity of the opposition in Europe compared to the league has been one of the reasons for that, but there is little doubt that the Warriors have underachieved on club rugby’s biggest stage.

While Edinburgh have twice reached the knockout stages of the European Cup - going as far as the semi-finals on one occasion and getting to the quarters on another - Glasgow have only ever once got even as far as the quarter-final play-offs, a round before the last eight. That was back in 1997, when they lost 90-19 to Leicester. The best they have done since then is a second place in their pool four seasons ago.

Now, however, having achieved greater consistency in the league, Townsend believes it could be time for his team to put an end to that record of underperformance in Europe. In a competition in which only the pool winners are guaranteed a last-eight place, getting off to a winning start is invariably vital, but the head coach knows his team will have to be on top of their game to do so this afternoon at Scotstoun against a Northampton Saints team who already have a victory against the Scarlets under their belt.

“It’s very difficult to get through,” the coach said yesterday when asked why Glasgow had never done themselves justice in continental competition. “It’s the best teams in Europe, and you have to play close to your best for six games to get through, and we haven’t done that. Competition is much tougher, but we haven’t played at our best over the six games, and that’s what we need to do, starting tomorrow.”

Townsend has been known to alter his team quite radically from one game to another, but on this occasion decided there was no need to change the squad from the one he selected to play against Racing 92 in Paris last Saturday - a match that was postponed as a result of the terrorist attacks in the French capital the night before. “There are a couple of reasons,” he said of his selection. “You pick a team to play well and win, and it would be very harsh on players not to play. We had a look at our opponents, and part of picking a team is getting the right blend and getting guys on form, but also right for the type of opposition you are going to play.

“We believe that Racing and Northampton present similar challenges. They both have big packs and key individuals in the backline as well. The team that we wanted to play against Racing is right for this week too.”

Northampton may feel they have gathered some momentum thanks to the win last week that put them on top of the pool, but Townsend pointed out that there are advantages in not having played last week. “The players are used to not playing every week. It would have been nice as a group if we had got a game last week, as this team has not played together, but from the coaches’ perspective it has not been too difficult a week.

“There are definitely benefits in playing: things are tried out; players get full contact alongside their teammates. But there are downsides as well with the possibility of injuries.

“There should be a freshness in the group and a real desire to go out and play. You could tell there was an edge in training today and they are desperate to play. Ally that to the fact that it’s a home game now and it gets the excitement levels even higher.”

The tournament organisers have yet to decide on a rearranged date for the games that were postponed last weekend, and yesterday said they had ruled out the following two weekends. Glasgow would be happy to travel to Paris to play Racing on Saturday 9 January, when they are due to play against Italian side Zebre in Parma, and the French club look likely to agree to that date. However, as the plan is to play all rearranged games on the same date, a final announcement could still be some way off.

Glasgow (v Northampton at Scotstoun today, 5.15pm, European Champions Cup Pool 3): S Hogg; T Seymour, M Bennett, P Horne, S Lamont; F Russell, M Blair; R Grant, P MacArthur, S Puafisi, L Nakarawa, J Gray, R Harley, S Favaro, J Strauss. Substitutes: S Mamukashvili, G Reid, Z Fagerson, T Swinson, R Wilson, G Hart, R Vernon, T Naiyaravoro.

Northampton: B Foden; A Tuala, G Pisi, L Burrell, G North; S Myler, L Dickson; A Waller, M Haywood, K Brookes, M Paterson, C Day, J Gibson, T Wood, S Dickinson. Substitutes: M Williams, E Waller, P Hill, J Fisher, T Harrison, K Fotuali'i, JJ Hanrahan, J Elliott.