Willem the foe
RUGBY SIX NATIONS COUNTDOWN Nel sings Zander’s praises but won’t simply sit back & enjoy the show
BY RODDY DUNCAN OLD stager Willem Nel says he’s right behind Zander Fagerson – as an admirer and adversary in equal measure.
The 33-year-old is a big fan of the Glasgow ace but has told him not to assume he is a stickon for Scotland’s front row.
Nel may be almost a decade older than his tighthead rival but insists he is still in the hunt to win back a starting slot.
On-form France will run out at Murrayfield on Sunday looking to keep their Six Nations Grand Slam bid on track.
And Edinburgh veteran Nel said: “Zander is a great player for such a young boy.
“He has stepped up really well for Scotland but I will be right behind him – and he knows I am there.
“There is great competition in that position. He has taken his opportunity and is going well, which is great for the team.”
Nel, who won four of his 37 caps at the World Cup in Japan, reckons that by snapping at Fagerson’s heels he can make the 24-year-old an even more dangerous player.
South Africa-born Nel said: “He can build on that and I can help him get even better.
“A lot of things happened after the World Cup so for me it has been about improving my position, whether that is myself or the guys coming through.
“That applies if I am starting, on the bench or just being around the squad.
“I just want to help improve that No.3 position. If I can still be competitive I will be there and give them that nudge to make sure the other contenders are on top of their game.”
Resurgent France are the only side with three wins from three in this campaign.
Nel, a replacement when Gregor Townsend’s side beat Italy 17-0 last month, added: “They are a different team at this moment. They have a big pack, almost back to what they were like in days gone by when they were a huge force. Their driving maul and scrum are really strong and their loosies are great ball carriers.
“They are almost the complete team at this moment so we know we need to be on top of it. And that means an improvement on where we were when we beat Italy in Rome.
“France are going for the Grand Slam but we know they sometimes struggle away from home.”
Nel believes a Scottish success on Sunday will hinge on so many parts of their game clicking at once. He said: “New specialist coach Steve Tandy has a different defence set-up and philosophy.
“But everyone is buying in and working hard.
“It was not a long transition for him to bring over what he wants to achieve.
“The boys are doing extra and it’s showing on the pitch.”