IT MUST be odd for Dan McFarland. He has been the Glasgow Warriors forwards coach for five months now, yet it is only this week that he is getting to know the majority of the players who are going to be the key to his success over the next few years. That's what you get for moving in World Cup year.

Until now his coaching career has been the epitome of a one-club man, moving seamlessly from a playing career with Connacht to a coaching role to taking charge of the forwards. After 15 years, he has swapped Galway for the city lights of Glasgow, but there is a lot more than a change of scenery for him to get used to. So far he has had the luxury of being able to wheel out much the same pack week-in, week-out; now he has the different luxury of more and better players to keep active and happy.

Compared to the side that went down to defeat in Dublin last week, he has had to change half the pack for this afternoon, when the Ospreys arrive in Scotstoun, and can expect to have to change again when the team travel to play in Cardiff in seven days.

"In forward play, unity is really important. Being able to play together, mesh and blend is one of the strengths that Connacht have," he admitted. "That is a challenge for me here. If there is a rotation of player, it’s really important that the combinations are able to work together in something like lineout defence, where you have a system.

"If you’re chopping and changing all the time, that’s more difficult. That’s not to say it’s not possible, but it is more difficult. The challenge for me is to get those combinations, those blends, that working together that is necessary to succeed.

"The benefits of being able to move people around is seeing how young players come through. It’s a necessity here because players are missing; they are called on left, right and centre."

The culture shock for McFarland is profound, but at the same time exciting: "I’d been at Connacht a long time. I wanted to change and Glasgow was perfect for what I wanted to do. I was very appreciative that a club that’s doing so well felt I could help," he added.

"People knew I was going to be the forwards coach here and when the Warriors won the PRO12 last year, the common [comment] was 'no pressure'. In all honesty, that’s not how I saw it, my job is about doing the best I can.

"Do I want to win the Champions Cup and PRO12? Yes, there’s no doubt: winning is sweet. But being the best I can be and getting the best out of the people I’m working with – that’s what drives me."