GLASGOW Warriors fans who had feared they might not see star full-back Stuart Hogg in club colours before his summer move to England can be reassured. He is back in training and targeting a comeback in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter- final in nine days' time.

Before then, there is more good news for the club with Callum Gibbins, the flanker, likely to be back to captain the side against the Cheetahs on Saturday after also missing out with a shoulder injury.

Looking further ahead, George Horne could be back at the same time as Hogg while Huw Jones is looking at a return in the first half of April. Ryan Wilson is likely to be a bit longer, but is definitely not out for the season, as had been feared at one stage.

It all adds up to a perfectly timed late-season boost for the club as they hone their assault on the Guinness PRO14 title while also trying to upset the odds by winning away at Saracens to make the semi-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time.

Come that day, both teams are likely to feature a number of players from last weekend's incredible Twickenham draw but Glasgow assistant coach Kenny Murray is discounting any major repercussions.

"We take more heart from the games we have played against them this season," he pointed out.

The key figure is Hogg, who has been out training with the squad this week, slowly building up the amount of contact he has been getting involved with as time goes on.

"We'll see how he progresses towards the end of this week and in contact next week," was Murray's verdict. "He is his usual buzzing self, out there ready to go and has done a wee bit of contact.

"In terms of his movement, he is fine but we need to make sure that contact-wise he is ready to go. He is full of confidence that he is ready to go in the next 10 days or so.

"You know what he is like, he wants to play rugby but we don’t want to take risks. He is an important player for us but Jacko [Ruaridh Jackson] has done really well for us – we need to make mention of that, we have 19 out of 20 points recently and Jacko has played in pretty much every part of those games.

"He is a real quality stand-in for us but Hogg, being the world class player he is, you would want him back as soon as possible."

Despite the prospect of players returning to action, the side Glasgow are likely to field this weekend is likely to resemble the ones that have been playing for the last two months more than the one they will field the following week in north London.

Players who saw a lot of Test action for Scotland are going to be rested but that still leaves the likes of Rob Harley, Adam Hastings and Peter Horne to make sure there is no loss of momentum after the club's successes over the Test window.

Picking up 19 out of a possible 20 points during that period has moved them three points clear of Munster, who are in second spot in Conference A, and 14 ahead of the pack behind them.

"We probably need to win every game to guarantee we will finish top," Murray added. "My mindset is that I don’t see Munster losing any games. The Trevino one [away] may be tricky for them and they are playing Connacht as well, though that is at Munster.

"They have a few tough games but they have had a good second half to the season and we have to make sure we sort our own stuff our before we worry about them and winning games."

After this weekend, Glasgow have the tough away quarter-final at Saracens followed by dangerous league fixtures against Ulster and Leinster before finishing at home to Edinburgh with the strong possibility that both sides could desperately need to win that clash.

It all adds up to a high-pressure end of the regular season, making the return to action by so many big-name players a key ingredient in their hunt for silverware.