The mid-season dip has become almost an annual event for Glasgow Warriors, but DTH van der Merwe believes that last Friday's restorative 22-7 win against the Scarlets - when he came off the bench to score the last of their three tries - has put them back on track and that they are now ready to create history with a first-ever appearance in a European quarter-final.

Glasgow's December losses against Toulouse (twice) and Edinburgh were in keeping with the pattern of previous seasons when, according to Van der Merwe, many players have been left jaded by a fierce programme of club and international rugby, but a victory over Montpellier at Scotstoun on Sunday would give them a golden chance of progressing to the last eight of the Champions Cup.

As things stand, unbeaten Toulouse lead Pool 4 with 16 points, with Glasgow and Bath joint-second on 10 apiece. If the weekend clash between Toulouse and Bath follows form and produces a win for the French side then Glasgow's prospects of getting out of the group will look even better. However, while Montpellier, who have lost all four of their games, are effectively out of the running and may bring a weakened team to Scotstoun, Van der Merwe has warned that their second-string side might actually be a more dangerous proposition.

"They could go either way," said the winger of Montpellier's selection strategy. "They could be really dangerous if they don't send up their strongest team. These guys who get selected might feel they are not the first-choice guys but they will want to go out and prove something.

"Either way, it is going to be a hell of a game and they will be dangerous without their superstars or not. The French are known to have a switch-off mentality when they go away from home or they are not in the competition. With Jake White [the South African who took over from Fabien Galthie as head coach recently] there they are really trying to get their season back on track."

Glasgow beat Montpellier 15-13 in the Altrad Stadium in the second round of European games, Finn Russell claiming all their points with five penalties. Van der Merwe might be too pessimistic in suggesting that the Warriors will need nine pool points from their two remaining games - their final match is away to Bath on Sunday week - but there is no question that life could be made significantly easier by a bonus-point win this weekend.

Van der Merwe, 28, has been with Glasgow since 2009. In that time, the club has established itself as a force in Celtic/Italian rugby, consistently reaching the PRO12's play-off stages, but they have never made a significant impact in Europe. What wins they have achieved have generally been too little too late, for their chances have usually been blown in the earliest rounds.

However, the Canadian believes that the pattern has changed and that Glasgow are now ready to step up to the European plate in the critical clashes of the pool stages.

"I think this has definitely been the best year so far," he explained. "I said it to the players earlier in the season when we played rounds one and two - that wins in the first two rounds are the key to making five and six work for us.

"We've never been in with a shout in rounds five and six. This year, everyone is focused on making it out of the pool. We said to ourselves that we didn't want to come to rounds five and six and say 'what if' or 'we could have done better here or there'. I think we are in a good place at the moment and hopefully it is a good season for us.

"I think we can deal with pressure better now. We made it to the semi-finals and final in the PRO12 and now it's about taking one step further and getting to the knockout stages in Europe. I think we are a more experienced team who can deal with that pressure. Guys don't get flabbergasted by the big occasions now. Everyone wants to play in these games so we're looking forward to it."

After a sprightly start to the season - they beat champions Leinster 22-20 in their first PRO12 match and then humbled Bath 37-10 on the Champions Cup's opening weekend - Glasgow seemed to lose the attacking edge that made them such a devastating force in early autumn, a pattern that ended with them surrendering the 1872 Cup to Edinburgh at the start of this year. However, Van der Merwe is adamant that putting three tries past Scarlets in gruesome conditions last Friday is proof that the Warriors are close to being their old selves again.

Van der Merwe said: "It is great to get back to winning ways after a disappointing week against Edinburgh. The best teams in Europe and the world are the ones that get knocked back and then go forward again. Hopefully we can get back on track for the rest of the season in Europe and the PRO12

"I want to win silverware with this club. I've been here six years. First, I've got to make it into the team, but I look forward to these big occasions because I like playing in big games. I want to make history for Glasgow."