With 51 fully-fit players to choose from there were always going to be disappointed players when the Glasgow Warriors team was named for tonight’s semi-final but it is the quality, as well as the quantity of the absentees that speaks to the scale of the right kind of selection dilemma that faced the management team.

Among the backs in particular there is no room for three players – Ali Price, Alex Dunbar and Huw Jones – who began this season in the Scotland international team, all of them part of the team that came close to making history against the All Blacks.

The emergence of George Horne explains Price’s absence, while Kiwi coach Dave Rennie has preferred two more men raised in the antipodes to Dunbar, Scotland’s backs defence leader and Jones, who has brought a new dimension to the national team’s midfield strike power, in New Zealand-born and bred fellow Scotland cap Nick Grigg and Australian Sam Johnson.

“It’s about form,” he explained. “In our opinion, Nick and Sam have been our best midfielders throughout the year. Sam is really good with ball in hand, he’s got great feet and he’s a punishing defender and a good communicator. He’s had a great season. Nick is quick and dynamic in attack. He’s a good chop defender.

“There’s not a lot between all these guys. We’re fortunate we’ve got really good depth in midfield but we felt, based on the opposition, that they’re our best fit. We’ve picked the best team possible based on who we are playing. It’s tough and it’s to the credit of the guys left out that they’ve taken the disappointment well, have worked really hard and helped the other guys prepare.”

Similarly in the pack there is no room for the reliable Rob Harley who this season set a new appearance record for Glasgow, but has been unable to fend off the challenge made to his starting place by a teenager who, like Horne, is the younger brother of one of his longer established team-mates.

Matt Fagerson’s performances this season have already seen him gain an early promotion, since he is missing the Under-20 World Championship this summer to tour the Americas with the senior national squad and Rennie said the youngster’s ability to get the team on the front foot has become invaluable. 

“Matt’s been excellent,” said the coach. “He gets a start because of his ability to create go-forward. He’s got really good footwork, he’s powerful… not a massive man, but very powerful and can be destructive defensively, so we just felt that was the best combination with him and Ryan [Wilson] together at six and eight. Matt’s 19, so he’s got a hell of a future. 

“He’s not massive, but you look at (Sam) Simmonds playing for Exeter and England and he’s not a huge man either. 

“A difference Matt brings is how explosive he is, his footwork and his ability to get in behind defences. He’s got a really good fend, so we need guys who can carry and get us in behind the gain-line..”

Curiously, the team shows just three changes to the one that was well beaten by the Scarlets a month ago, but Rennie believes the knockout nature of this encounter will ensure that this is a very different encounter.

“Attitude is everything,” Rennie insisted. 

“We came up short that day. I thought we played really poorly post-tackle and we knew that would be important as they have so many guys who are good at stealing pill. They did a good job that day I denying us possession, but we were a little bit lacklustre, so everyone has to be on it. 

“It’s a no-tomorrow scenario if we don’t get it right. We’ve prepared well and the attitude has been great. I would expect a far better performance.”