The Scottish region are gunning for a maiden EPCR trophy after a superb campaign when they take on three-time Heineken Champions Cup winners Toulon at the Aviva Stadium.

But Smith says his team aren’t concentrating on the potential history they could make in Dublin and are instead setting their sights on the progression that can be made by competing in a game of such magnitude.

“It’s not about beating records,” he asserted. “It’s about being the best we can be and use this as a stepping stone for where we want to be.

“We don’t see this final as the ultimate piece of the puzzle for this group of players. We have even more aspirations going ahead.

“It would be fantastic to leave something behind, but it’s about using this experience.”

Smith took over a struggling Glasgow team last August and has overseen a transformation, culminating in tonight’s EPCR Challenge Cup final.

“We started off eight months ago with a certain objective,” he said. “For the city and for the club it would be important too.

“To get to the final was a fantastic reward for a lot of effort and work that’s been put in, and belief.

“When I walked into the changing room for the first time, few of the players would have thought we’d be sitting here today,

“We will be very proud and excited and humble for those people who have believed in us. We want to give something back to them. But that doesn’t mean we put extra pressure on ourselves.”

When asked if reaching the EPCR Challenge Cup’s showpiece game with Glasgow is among his best achievements in coaching, former South Africa international and ex-Italy boss Smith said, “it’s obviously up there”.

“I’ve had some great wins and some special times with special players,” he said. “This year has been extraordinarily good because we’ve managed to put the puzzle pieces together in a short length of time.”

Glasgow Warriors will take valuable lessons from today’s EPCR Challenge Cup final against RC Toulon regardless of the result, according to head coach Franco Smith.