Regrets, there are a few from his time at Scotstoun, but Stuart Hogg reckons the most recent source of them may have helped ensure things will go his way as he bids to say farewell to Glasgow in style.

The two-time British & Irish Lions full-back, who has matched that tally with back-to-back Six Nations player of the tournament award, was disappointed with the way his last chance to win a Champions Cup knockout tie with Glasgow went when they suffered a humbling 56-27 defeat to Saracens in March, but he reckons that it may have set them up for the forthcoming Pro14 play-offs.

“That was a great opportunity for us to do something special in Europe, but it was probably a good thing to happen to us at that stage of the season in terms of the manner we were beaten,” Hogg contended.

“We didn’t front-up, we didn’t take our opportunities apart from in the first minute and we got schooled. It gave us the wee rocket up the backside we maybe needed and it’s put us in a good place now.

“We said after the game that if we keep playing like that then we’re going to win absolutely nothing, and you saw in our performance the week after against Ulster that there was a huge shift in the way we played. So, we were pleased with the manner in which we responded and ever since then we seem to have taken it a step closer every single time.”

No-one at Scotstoun is any doubt that this will be a very different Ulster side since it did not, that day, include Lions forwards Iain Henderson and Rory Best, whose presence will ensure an emotional performance from colleagues eager to reward his 15 year service to the province.

“They’re a quality team and if you sit off them they are going to get momentum going forward and they are difficult to stop on the back of that,” Hogg acknowledged.

“They’ve got some cracking individual players and they really have a good collective team spirit. They are going to be sending off a couple of club legends so they’re going to be up for it.

“Rory Best has been a great servant to Ulster and Irish rugby.

“He’s going to be coming here ready to rock and roll. He’ll have their boys fired up, but we’ll meet fire with fire and see what they’ve got to offer.

“He’s somebody I’ve got a huge amount of respect for, the guy is an absolute legend. So, we’ll be respectful in the way we approach him, but hopefully we can spoil the party by getting the win for ourselves.

As has been the case so often throughout Hogg’s time at Scotstoun, it has been one thing winning regular season league matches and quite another beating Europe’s best, but for all that Ulster proved themselves to be worthy of that description by reaching the Champions Cup semi-final this season, the way Glasgow have been beating teams since that Saracens defeat offers encouragement.

“The main focus is to get into that final,” said Hogg.

“It is going to be an enormous task for us but one we can hopefully go out there and grab with both hands.

“For us, it is probably the perfect week to concentrate on ourselves. We need to be solid in defence and clinical in attack like we have been the last couple of weeks. It is knock-out rugby now, so if we bugger it up then we’re done.

“We’re in a great place. The last few games three has been a real clinical edge in our attacking game and taken our opportunities when they have been on offer. “We’ll just keep working hard this week and start getting excited. It is a huge task for us but one that we are excited for. We believe we can win.”

Still only 26, he admits there will be emotion as he makes his last home appearance, for now at least, at the ground to which he was part of the original Glasgow Warriors squad to move seven years ago.

“It was good to get a bigger stadium, a bigger fan base, and the club has grown year on year ever since. So, it is a special place,” he said.

“It means a great deal to me… and if I get the opportunity to play at the weekend, I’ll relish it and hopefully use it as an opportunity to thank the fans with my performances over the next couple of games and hopefully we can win some silverware.”

He knows, though, that he cannot afford to get wrapped up in sentiment tomorrow evening.

“It is just about putting in my normal performance. I’ve got a role and responsibility within this team to execute, so hopefully I can get a few opportunities to do that,” said Hogg.

“It is going to be tough towards the end, but my focus is to help make sure that we have a final to look forward to the week after.”