Fagerson pulls no attack on rugby’s I take exception to someone cheap-shotting or hurting my team-mates
WOE betide any All Black who takes a ‘ cheap shot’ against a Scotland player in the heat of battle at Murrayfield this Saturday.
If they do, they will have 6ft 2in, 19st 11lbs tighthead prop Zander Fagerson to answer to.
Although well versed in the dark arts of front-row play himself, the Glasgow Warriors star takes genuine offence at any opponent who bends the rules behind the referee’s back with sneaky punches, knees in the back and off-the-ball tackles.
While Fagerson was in no way pointing the finger at this weekend’ s illustrious visitors,
Sportsmail can point out that they certainly aren’t above such illegal tactics. Centre Jack Goodhue was sin-binned for a cynical challenge during Tuesday night’s victory over a French select in Lyon. That incident, at least, was spotted by the match official.
‘I hate cheap shots,’ said 21-yearold Fagerson. ‘I view playing for Glasgow and Scotland as a massive privilege.
‘I think you build a brotherhood with the guys you play with and I t ake exception t o someone cheap- shotting or hurting my team-mates for no reason.
‘If the ref is not going to take it into his hands, have a word with him. You can’t throw any punches. Not that it goes on too much, but you’ve got to let them know that it’s not acceptable.
‘Have you watched any of the games? It’s just little things like clearing out after the ball, just knees and stuff. Referees and touchies aren’t picking up on it. It’s pretty rife. I’ve not played a team this year where there haven’t been one or two.’
When asked if he could keep control of his temper while being aggressive at the same time against the All Blacks, Fagerson replied: ‘Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.’
Like there st of Greg or Townsend’s team, he’ll have plenty to concern himself with against the world’s leading side, who will pounce on any of the defensive deficiencies Scotland showed against Samoa in last weekend’s narrow opening victory in the autumn series.
Fagerson revealed, however, that the Kiwi influence has already made him a better ball-playing prop this season thanks to the stewardship of Warriors head coach Dave Rennie.
And the knowledge passed on to him by the New Zealander could prove crucial against the All Blacks.
‘ We’ve got a Kiwi coach at Glasgow, don’t we?’ said Fagerson. ‘He’s got a standard that all front fives have to be able to catch and pass with both hands. If they (the All Blacks) can do it, we can do it.
‘It has been a breath of fresh air having him (Rennie) at Glasgow, making sure we’re working on our skills.
‘It’s not acceptable to him for a front five just to scrum and maul. You’ve got to get your hands on the ball. If you drop a ball in training, you’ve got to do 20, 30 passes afterwards to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
‘I think that’s good for the club and for the country, as well. In this day and age, if you can be a ball-player as well as doing the hard yards, it’s only going to be an advantage for you and for the team.’
In the absence of Willem Nel, who was injured after starting against Samoa, Fagerson is first- choice tighthead prop by a long way, with Simon Berghan and Jon Welsh fighting it out for a place on the bench.
With loose-head Darryl Marfo set to play just his second international and third- choice hooker Stuart McInally in because of injuries to others, Fagerson has become the senior front-row man.
With Fagerson i n the side, Scotland can do well in the scrum. Without him, they will struggle. Head coach Townsend will be hoping he doesn’t get injured early on and plays as much of the 80 minutes as possible.
That places a huge responsibility on his shoulders, but going in against the All Blacks holds no fear.
‘I didn’t get to play them in the last few years, so it would be a dream come true to take them on,’ said Perth-born Fagerson. ‘You grow up watching the All Blacks. I remember playing Jonah Lomu in 2011 on the PlayStation. He would hand off everyone and score.
‘I’ve played against the All Blacks Under-20s a few times but it would be a privilege to play them on Saturday.’
Having Fagerson in the side rather than Nel i s more of a positive than a negative, according to George Graham, who is backing him to become one of the best ti ghthead props i n Scottish history.
Graham played at tighthead 25 times for Scotland and was forwards coach under Frank Hadden from 2005 to 2008 when he worked with Euan Murray.
Now head coach at Hawick, he believes Fagerson is a future British and Irish Lion.
‘It must have been a tough call in the first place between Nel and Fagerson to start against Samoa,’ said the 51- year- old from Stirling.
‘Zander is such a young guy to be playing at international level but what a talent. He’s going to be rugby’s equivalent of a rock star in years to come.
‘I can see him getting better and
better. he is a future British and Irish Lion, no doubt about it. he may just be 21 but I would put him up there among the best tightheads around already and he will be up there among the world’s best very soon. I am a huge fan.
‘he has still got ten, 12 years to get better and grow and get bigger as a man and become more physically developed.
‘I see him as going to be up there with the likes of Iain “The Bear” Milne as one of the best tightheads in Scottish history. I rate him that highly and he’ll do well regardless of who he plays against.’