GLASGOW Warriors’ 22-5 win over Racing 92 came too late to revive their hopes of reaching the last eight of the Champions Cup, but at least it was a timely boost as they prepare for the resumption of their PRO12 campaign.

They knew before Saturday’s match at Rugby Park that they were out of the race to reach the quarter-finals: defeat in Northampton six days earlier had made sure of that. Yet, while this will go down as another disappointing season in Europe for Gregor Townsend’s team, who went into the competition with the aim of getting to the last eight for the first time, they have shown glimpses in their last two games of rediscovering the form they will need if they are to climb up the league from their present lowly position. The champions have games in hand on every other team in the league, but even so, eighth is some way short of where they hoped to be at this stage.

They had to struggle patiently in Kilmarnock, not only against Racing, but also against the poor weather, which restricted scoring chances in the first half. Finn Russell’s penalty produced the only points before the break, but the Warriors gradually got on top in the second half. Russell doubled the lead with a second award, then provided the pass for Stuart Hogg to score his team’s only try of the game. The stand-off converted and added a penalty before Cedate Gomes Sa touched down for the Pool 3 winners, then Duncan Weir came off the bench to mark his 100th appearance with two more penalties.

“Our performances over the past few weeks have been frustrating,” Townsend said after a match that ended a run of four losses. “That was our best game, and before that Scarlets at home.

“The real disappointment was the first game against Edinburgh. Since then we’ve played bits of games that have been more like what we want to do, and today we kept that going. When the weather came in like it did I’m sure people thought it would be a 6-0 or a 6-3, but to keep going and to break down that defence in the second half was pleasing.”

The coach will be without his big-name players during the Six Nations Championship, and it remains to be seen how many of those making their way back from injury turn out next week at the Ospreys. Alex Dunbar became a fresh concern for Scotland after going off with a hamstring strain in the second half, and although Townsend said the move was precautionary, the fact that the centre missed the previous three weeks with the injury means he has played precious little rugby in the build-up to the international tournament.

Conversely, both Russell and Hogg are coming back into form at the right time after an indifferent run of games earlier in the season - something that Townsend ascribes to a Rugby World Cup hangover. “These guys have had some challenges coming back from the World Cup,” he said. “It’s hard when you’ve lived that way for four or five months, you have disappointment at the end and you have to go back to a club environment.

“It’s difficult. People always say that you struggle after a Lions tour - the highs and intensity - but normally after a tour you get two months off. After the World Cup it was two weeks for these guys.

“Stuart had challenges with having a baby as well, so it’s great that he’s come through that. What a boost for Scotland as well to have guys on form.”

Of course, Glasgow are not the only team in Europe to have had players absent on World Cup duty, but they had such a high number away - more than 20, including been those from other countries - that they effectively had to field a scratch second string in August and September. Still, having noted that difficulty, Townsend insisted there would also be a positive side for his team.

“I always said it would benefit us. It will do that in the long run, but probably not in the short run.”

If the Warriors backs have been off the boil of late, the real problems have been up front, where the pack has been bullied in the scrum at times and been vulnerable to driving mauls, especially from the lineout. There is still a lot of work to be done on that front, but they held their own on Saturday, and Townsend is confident that they will progress quickly as they gain in experience.

“I thought Sila Puafisi was outstanding, and Zander Fagerson was outstanding last week,” he said of his two tighthead props. “Of our front five at the end of the game, Jonny [Gray] is 21, Scott Cummings is 19, Zander is just 20 and James Malcolm is 22. These players will work well and get better.”.