Glasgow Warriors are poised to replace an all-international front-row with a trio of uncapped players, in a bold declaration of confidence in the systems and methods that have brought a new level of consistency to the Scottish professional game.

Competition for places has been repeatedly cited as the main factor behind a run that has seen them lose just eight times in 28 competitive matches. However, handling that requires skill and judgment, as demonstrated at this season's World Cup where constant changes to Scotland's team had an unsettling effect on players.

Glasgow's team will be named today but there is every indication that, after what was a vital match against Connacht last weekend, Richie Gray will be the only survivor in the front five. Certainly Al Kellock, the club captain, seems sure to return to the second row at Tom Ryder's expense, while Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur and Mike Cusack are also expected to replace Jon Welsh, Dougie Hall and Moray Low. Consider, too, that Ed Kalman was capped during the RBS Six Nations Championship is not even among that six.

All of which could be a recipe for disharmony. Yet, if Grant is to be believed, the culture generated at Glasgow is such that instead of coming from personal animosity the pressure these players are applying to one another comes instead from a sense of camaraderie.

"There's a lot of competition in the front-row at Glasgow," he said. "It's a fortunate position for the club to be in. Not many clubs have that, but for myself, especially, Jon and I push each other hard every week, whether that's in the gym, on the training field or on the park. So I think that's pushed us both on and both our games have improved greatly.

"We all play for each other, we're all really good friends. One slip up here or there by someone and you're not just letting the team down you're letting your friends down as well, so that pushes us on that extra bit.

"Mike Cusack, Moray Low and Dougie Hall are some of my best friends. We spend a lot of time together, we work hard together, we put a lot of time in on the scrum machine with [scrum coach] Massimo Cuttitta.

"The strength in depth in the Glasgow Warriors team just now is second to none. We've proved that during the Six Nations and World Cup periods. You've got players like Gordy Reid and Finlay Gillies who might not be getting the opportunities they want that are chapping on the door."

Indeed the door Reid, in particular, is repeatedly chapping on is that of Sean Lineen, their head coach, who admitted yesterday that the youngster is constantly asking for more game time. He and fellow youth Gillies have also had their chances this season at a club where meritocracy rather than reputation holds sway.

Grant is a prime example of that, having made little impact in the professional game in four seasons with the Border Reivers and Edinburgh before being given his chance when he moved to Glasgow two years ago.

"It's been a slow start for me and it's amazing to be here, to be in this position, to be heading into a Rabo semi-final with Glasgow Warriors," he said. "If you'd asked me two years ago if I thought I'd be in this position now the answer would have been a resounding 'no'."

Having considered quitting the professional game before joining Glasgow his appetite for the game has been revived by his time at Firhill. Consequently, after spending the summer training with the World Cup development squad, he was one of just two uncapped players, along with clubmate Rob Harley, not to be given an opportunity in the warm-up matches. He remains philosophical, though.

"It's one of those things. I spent a lot of years at Edinburgh being told 'no' so it's nothing new," he said. "It doesn't dampen my spirits any, I'm still knocking on the door, I'm still here, I still want that [Scotland] jersey."

He is aware that helping Glasgow reach the Pro12 Grand Final would make it difficult to leave him out of this summer's tour, but that is not uppermost in his mind this week. Rather his focus remains fully on club duty.

"Scotland stuff would be great, but I've not been hugely involved in that so it's not really at the front of my mind just now," Grant explained. "My first priority at the minute is winning the semi and winning the final hopefully with Glasgow."

Assembling such strength in depth has been vital not only in generating that competition for places, but in ensuring that there has been a freshness about the squad this week. That had been absent when they were eliminated by the Ospreys after battling their way to the same stage of this competition two years ago, according to their coach.

"The collective will of this team and where we are energy-wise and where we are in terms of determination, we have a couple of games left in us," said Lineen.

"There is a lot of belief and also a lot of hunger. These young lads are hungry and we showed the Ospreys game at the beginning of the week to have a feel for what it was like."

While the squad strength has discernibly improved he believes an array of factors mean that, for all that the current Leinster squad is vastly superior to the Ospreys of two years ago, they are better equipped this time around.

"You have got to have mental ability as well as physical ability, you have got to have rugby ability and you have got to have the ability to communicate. It is all these things that come together in building a team," said Lineen.

Those qualities face the ultimate examination against the best team in Europe tomorrow.