Danny Wilson has challenged Glasgow to bounce back from their capitulation against Exeter and ensure Champions Cup progression by beating La Rochelle.

The defeat means Warriors almost certainly have to beat the French side in their final match of the group stage in Glasgow on Saturday.

“We have the opportunity to put that right,” said the Glasgow head coach.

Warriors are currently eighth in the 12-team Pool A and must remain in that position or improve on it if they are to make it to the next round of the tournament.

If they finish ninth, 10th or 11th, they will drop into the Challenge Cup, while a bottom-place finish would eliminate them from Europe altogether.

“Having been in the lead 17-14 after 50 minutes , we were really disappointed with the final 30 minutes of the game against Exeter,” said Wilson.

“La Rochelle are a powerful team with a quality player base and one of the big European teams over recent years.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge of welcoming them to Scotstoun.”

Scotland winger Rufus McLean will make his Champions Cup debut as Wilson makes four changes to the starting XV for the meeting with last season’s runners-up.

Fraser Brown takes on the captaincy as he returns to the starting line-up, leading the side out for the first time since October’s victory over the Lions at Scotstoun.

Richie Gray will make his comeback from injury in the second-row, partnering Scotland colleague Scott Cummings in the engine room.

Scotland tight-head Simon Berghan is in line for his first appearance since the opening match of the 2021-22 season away to Ulster after recovering from injury to take his place among the replacements.

George Turner and Jamie Bhatti rotate to the bench after starting at Sandy Park last time out, with Kiran McDonald doing likewise after a try-scoring display down in Devon.

Club co-captain Ryan Wilson, who made his 200th appearance for Glasgow last weekend, is among the substitutes, alongside George Horne, Duncan Weir and Ollie Smith, who could also make his Champions Cup debut if he comes off the bench.

Line-ups

Glasgow: McKay, Steyn, Tuipuloto, Johnson, McLean, Thompson, Price; Kebble, Brown (cap), Z Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey

Replacements: Turner, Bhatti, Berghan, McDonald, Wilson, Horne, Weir, Smith.

La Rochelle: Dulin, Leyds, Rhule, Danty, Pierre Boudehent, Popelin, Kerr-Barlow; Priso, Bougarit, Atonio, Sazy, Picquette, Bourdeau, Paul Boudehent, Alldritt (cap)

Replacements: Bosch, Aouf, Papidze, Lavault, Tanguy, Berjon, West, Buliruara

Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng).