WHEN you are preparing for your biggest match of the season, you do not want the preceding game to be flawless. In that sense, Glasgow Warriors’ display against Connacht last weekend was close to ideal, precisely because it was not perfect.

There were flaws which would have been more ruthlessly exposed by a better team - and Saracens, who the Warriors meet in the Champions Cup quarter-final on Sunday, are a significantly better team than Connacht are at present. But there was also a lot of determination on display, as well as a fair amount of intelligence as the Glasgow players worked out how to get on top after spending much of the first half under heavy pressure. The dismissal of Tim Swinson was a significant blot on the afternoon, but on the whole there was a lot to work on as attention turned to the match in north London this weekend.

“We did the analysis the next day and there were a couple of things we could have done a bit better,” Nick Grigg, the Glasgow centre, said. “But in terms of the bonus-point win for the PRO12 and leading into the European Cup quarters, it was just what we needed.

“They’re different kinds of teams, Connacht and Saracens, so we’ve had to look at them [Saracens] in a bit more detail. In our first rugby session [of the week on Tuesday] we put into place the fact that they kick a lot more than Connacht do, so we’re working on ways to beat that.”

Grigg’s rise through the ranks at Scotstoun has come as a surprise to many people - not least to the man himself. The centre only made his debut for the Warriors this time last year, shortly before signing his first pro contract. Now, he is in line to start this match, the club’s first in the last eight of European rugby’s premier competition.

Born in New Zealand but Scottish-qualified thanks to a grandfather from Ayrshire, Grigg was seen as no more than a useful member of the Glasgow squad at the start of this season - the sort of player that head coach Gregor Townsend could rely on to put in a decent shift when his first-choice centres were away on international duty. But the 24-year-old has made 15 appearances so far in this campaign, and has been a revelation in both attack and defence.

He is a lot shorter and lighter than many of his opponents, but he is fast and elusive on the ball, and determined in defence. If Townsend reckons the versatile Pete Horne is best covering both centre and stand-off from the bench on Sunday, the way would be open for Grigg to partner Alex Dunbar in the starting line-up.

“Last season I was in the Academy and playing for Stirling County and I managed to get one game for Glasgow,” Grigg said. “So this year I wasn’t too sure how it was going to go, but obviously it’s gone the right way for me.”

“It’s been an exciting season for me. I didn’t really expect to get as much game time as I’ve had, but I’m really glad to be given the opportunities. And I guess grab them by the neck and try my hardest, which is all I can do - so I hope it keeps going.”

Glasgow have had a disappointing PRO12 season by their own high standards, but they have put in some excellent displays in Europe, notably their away wins against Racing 92 and Leicester Tigers around the turn of the year. Grigg knows, however, that an even better performance will be needed at the weekend against the defending champions.

“In the Leicester and the Racing games, we played really well,” he said. “Everything we practised during the week was crisp and fast, and we played at a high tempo, using the ball well. I believe that if we bring that again this Sunday we can win.

“We know how good they are as a side. We know how tough it’s going to be. This is my second year with the club and I believe we’ve got the culture, we’ve got the staff and the players to go down there and win on the day.”

Saracens’ star-studded squad includes some members of the England team that thrashed Scotland in the Six Nations, but Grigg insisted he and his team-mates would not feel intimidated by their reputation. “I don’t think that we get overwhelmed or scared of the names and the players that they have. If you outwork your opposition players at the end of the day you will come out on top.”

Glasgow should find out later today if Swinson is available for the match - the lock is appealing against his sending-off against Connacht and his case will be heard in Neath by a three-man disciplinary panel. The team for Sunday’s match will be announced tomorrow.