European Champions Cup: Glasgow Warriors v Bath preview

High flyers Glasgow Warriors and Bath lock horns at Scotstoun in the European Rugby Champions Cup on Saturday with both clubs buoyed by renewed hope.

The Warriors have made a blistering start to the Guinness PRO12, winning their first five games and are currently second in the table, though a constant source of frustration is the fact they have not reached the knock-out stages in Europe since 1998.

By coincidence that was the year Bath lifted the trophy, but it has been a barren period since. Yet both teams harbour hopes of reaching the knock-out stages this year.

Bath hold the upper hand on their hosts having won five of the six previous European meetings between the sides, although five of those matches have been settled by a margin fewer than seven points.

Despite their flying start to the season, the Scotsmen host Bath on the back of defeat to Ulster and lock Tim Swinson is expecting a response from his side.

"Losing is part of professional sport. Anyone who thinks they are going to go through the season undefeated and win every title going is delusional," he said.

"It is how you respond to defeat. This is the first round of a new European competition and we want to show something that teams in the PRO12 have realised for a number of years - that Glasgow are a good side and we now want to show that to a wider audience."

Meanwhile, Bath’s midfield has been one of the most potent attacking forces in Premiership Rugby this term and centre Kyle Eastmond is relishing his European debut.

“I’m excited for the European Rugby Champions Cup, because it’s what you play for,” he told the club’s official site.

“Glasgow are a very good team: they’ve got two British Lions in the backs, their centres are very good players and their forwards are tough and ferocious.

“I’ve watched them play a lot. They’re second in the Pro12 and they’ve made to two finals in the last couple of years.”

Team news

British and Irish Lions full-back Stuart Hogg comes back into the Glasgow starting XV to take his familiar No 15 jersey, with Sean Maitland returning to the right wing and Tommy Seymour occupying the left channel.

Mark Bennett and Peter Horne remain in the centres, while Duncan Weir comes in for Finn Russell at fly-half and Henry Pyrgos continues at scrum-half to complete an all-Scottish back-line.

In the pack Gordon Reid and Euan Murray are retained at loose-head and tight-head respectively, while Pat MacArthur is in for Fraser Brown at hooker.

Bath have been one of the most exciting prospects in English rugby so far this season and head coach Mike Ford has a strong squad at his disposal, despite failed attempts to bring European Player of the Year Steffon Armitage in from Toulon in the week.

Former Wales fly-half Gavin Henson continues to familiarise himself with the full-back role, with powerhouse winger Semsea Rokoduguni and England hopeful Anthony Watson completing the back three.

George Ford is Bath’s first-choice No 10 and he is bidding to force his way in England’s autumn international plans, he has the on-song pairing of Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph beside him in midfield.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg; 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tommy Seymour; 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Henry Pyrgos (capt); 1 Gordon Reid, 2 Pat MacArthur, 3 Euan Murray, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Robert Harley, 7 Chris Fusaro, 8 Adam Ashe.

Replacements: 16 Doug Hall, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Rossouw de Klerk, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Tyrone Holmes, 21 Niko Matawalu, 22 Finn Russell, 23 DTH van der Merwe.

Bath: 15 Gavin Henson; 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Anthony Watson; 10 George Ford, 9 Micky Young; 1 Nick Auterac, 2 Ross Batty, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Stuart Hooper (capt), 5 David Attwood, 6 Dominic Day, 7 Guy Mercer, 8 David Sisi.

Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Paul James, 18 David Wilson, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Tom Ellis, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Ollie Devoto, 23 Horacio Agulla.