As they have watched their team run up comfortable wins in their last six clashes with Treviso, Glasgow fans should be licking their lips at the prospect of seeing their side host the Italians at Scotstoun tonight.

Yet such are the demands of Test rugby these days that few members of the Italian team will be familiar to the Warriors supporters. Come to think of it, they might struggle to recognise some of their own lot as well.

The Glasgow starting XV contains precisely three members of the team that ran out against Montpellier last weekend. That trio is made up of No.8 Josh Strauss, who is not yet eligible for Scotland, hooker Pat MacArthur, who was left out when the Scotland squad was chosen last week, and flanker Chris Fusaro, who now appears to have been deemed surplus to requirements by the national coach Vern Cotter.

There is no shortage of quality in a Warriors line-up that still includes 12 full international players, evenly split between forwards and backs, and the side, and its fans, should be confident of stretching their winning streak against the men from the Veneto to seven games. In terms of raw quality and experience, Glasgow look well ahead of Treviso in almost every area, but coach Gregor Townsend admitted to experiencing a degree of unease when his top stars are absent on Test duty, and with good cause.

Townsend said: "Last year we won this corresponding game but lost during November to the Dragons and lost two games during the Six Nations. It is a challenging period when players are not involved. It is a strong team we have put out and I am very pleased with it and very excited to see some of the guys coming off the bench who will be making some of their first appearances this year and some their first ever for the club.

"I am confident the players will carry on the momentum, but it is tough. Italy had a camp this week and they seem to have made players available for Treviso, the likes of [Michele] Campagnaro, [Alessandro] Zanni and [Simone] Favaro, who we expected to be playing for Italy. So it is fortunate that we have a lot of depth in our squad."

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Townsend's team is to get critical combinations working from the start. The coach has managed the rotation of frontline players well through the first few weeks of the season, but things get a little more testing when more peripheral figures have to be used. To his credit, however, Townsend recognised that the issue was looming some time ago, and devised his strategy accordingly.

"We knew it was coming and had planned for a number of players being involved with Scotland," he explained. "We knew on the Thursday or Friday of the week before last, when they announced the squad.

"The one thing we have done differently this year is that we have had a hit-out with that group. Last Wednesday we had a game along the road at Dalziel against a combined EDP [Elite Development Players] team. So James Downey and Richie Vernon got to play together, Ryan Grant and Ryan Wilson all had a hit together.

"Some of them have also played club level which has been great for their match fitness but that meant that they have played together, which should help. It looked very good at training this week. But it is difficult and it is a challenge for us as a coaching team. It is why we have to have a squad of 43. This week we have EDPs involved, so you have about 50 players to pick from."

In comparison with Edinburgh's crippling injury problems, Glasgow have enjoyed far better luck, as prop Grant and No.8 Wilson have both timed their recoveries from shoulder surgery to perfection and will make their comebacks in the game. Jon Welsh is not involved, but will be playing club rugby to build up his match fitness. Townsend also expressed satisfaction that Richie Vernon is back in the side for the first time this season after shaking off an Achilles problem.

At the other end of the M8, however, Edinburgh coach Alan Solomons cut a despondent figure as he revealed a side that was not so much chosen as cobbled together for the trip to take on PRO12 champions Leinster in Dublin this evening. ­Solomons already had an injury crisis on his hands before last weekend's European Challenge Cup clash with Lyon, but victory in that match came at a heavy price as Grant Gilchrist, Roddy Grant and Hamish Watson all suffered fractures.

The most unlikely figure in the Edinburgh side is Jack Turley, a New Zealander who divides his time between playing (and captaining) Heriot's and working as a part-time removals man. Solomons watched Turley in action for his club against Gala last weekend, invited him to play in the Edinburgh A game against Ontario Blues on Monday, then handed him the chance to turn out against Leinster today.

"I've been trying to take in a lot of information in a short amount of time, get clued up on the systems and calls and everything," said Turley. "It has been a bit of a whirlwind but I am enjoying it and taking it all in. I'll try to do a bit of homework and get it all sorted for tomorrow.

"There are nerves and excitement, but I quite enjoy it. It is a good feeling. I haven't had time to worry about who I am up against, I am just trying to get myself in the right frame of mind to play Leinster at the RDS."