Standing third in line behind two British and Irish Lions is not the most promising place for a player with lofty aspirations.

But a nifty piece of queue-jumping has taken Peter Murchie past both Stuart Hogg and Sean Maitland and into the Glasgow Warriors starting line-up at full-back for today's critical European Champions Cup clash with Montpellier at Scotstoun.

In fairness, Hogg was ruled out when he suffered a hamstring injury in training two weeks ago, but Murchie has been picked ahead of Maitland, who has to be content with a place on the bench. It will be Murchie's first European appearance this season and it is timely, too, for a player who still has hopes of adding to his three Scotland caps won over the past couple of years.

Not that catching the eye of Vern Cotter is foremost in the mind of the 28-year-old, who started his rugby life in the Bath academy and made his way to Glasgow via Waterloo and London Welsh.

In previous seasons, Glasgow's hopes of progressing in Europe have usually been dynamited by the turn of the year, but as they still have a decent chance of reaching the last eight, Murchie's attention is firmly on club, not country.

"I don't try to think too far ahead," said Murchie of his prospects of figuring in the Six Nations. "I'm motivated for us to play well and to win the game and still be in Europe. I try not to think of what might happen if I do this or do that."

Just as well, too. As always, the range of possible outcomes over the final two weekends of pool-stage games is bewilderingly complex, but the common view around Scotstoun is that Glasgow will need to harvest nine points from today's clash with Montpellier and next Sunday's meeting with Bath at the Rec.

As Montpellier have already run the white flag up the pole by picking an unmistakably weakened team, common sense tells you this afternoon's match is by far the likelier source of the bonus point the Warriors want.

Well, that's the theory at least. Inconveniently, Glasgow's total try haul from three games against French sides this season - away to Montpellier in October and home and away against Toulouse last month - is precisely one.

The Warriors launched their European campaign with a flurry of five touchdowns in their opening Champions Cup fixture against Bath, but things have dried up since.

Why? "It's down to a few things," Murchie explained. "The weather plays a big part and when you have a couple of months like we've had you have to play more territory. I think if you look around Europe there seem to be low-scoring games everywhere. It's just natural that the tries to seem to dry up.

"The good thing was that we managed to get three [against Scarlets, in a storm] last weekend and probably left another one or two out there, so we are creating the opportunities. We want to play with tempo and when we can do that we can score tries."

Of course, there was a time when Glasgow had a high-tempo Plan A and, well, nothing else. The highlights reel may have been short after some games this season, but they have learned to go through the gears. Some of their most important wins - Montpellier away, Munster at home - have been pretty drab.

"I think we've learned that you need to play a territory-based game sometimes," Murchie continued. "At times, I think we've overplayed a bit in a couple of games, playing in our own half and our own 22 and putting ourselves under pressure at times. There are different ways to skin a cat.

"But we're confident we can play different kinds of game now. We're very confident with the ball in hand, forwards and backs, and we want to play at a quick tempo. We are ambitious players and we want to play rugby, but we have to try to do the right thing at the right time."

Murchie, speaking before the Montpellier team was named, reeled off a list of the French side's stars, none of whom subsequently boarded the plane to Glasgow. However, rugby has a rich tradition of so-called second-stringers playing far above expectations, and Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend made a good point when he said those Montpellier players who are coming must be at a pretty high level for the club to register them for Europe in the first place.

Townsend believes the weather forecast - bright but cold - plays into Glasgow's hands if they do want to go on a try-chase. But he also warned the first game against Montpellier was played in ideal conditions at the French side's Altrad Stadium and unfolded as an attritional contest.

"Sometimes a game takes its own shape," said the coach. "Going into that game, we certainly wanted to play a high-tempo rugby, but there's more to it than just moving the ball through the hands.

"It's all about what's working. You want to do more of what's working, where you think you're getting an advantage. That day, our kick chase was excellent and the way we defended was very good. Sometimes you just don't get the ball you set out to get and you just have to adapt."

One thing beyond dispute is that a Glasgow defeat would end their chances of reaching the knockout stages. Murchie is determined their hopes will still be alive this evening.

"It's important that we are still in the competition," said the full-back. "In Europe you want to show what you can do, but there is a bit more when you know that you can actually progress. We've got everything to play for."