Dunbar relishes prospect of 100-game milestone, but says injuries stopped it coming sooner

He may still be only 27 but Alex Dunbar admits his 100th appearance for Glasgow Warriors, which will happen in Galway tomorrow if he is selected by new coach Dave Rennie, should really have come a lot sooner.

When fit and available the midfield rock would normally be one of the first names on the teamsheet but, probably due to his body-on-the-line, abrasive style, the centre has had more than his fair share of injury frustration over the years.

Dunbar, pictured, has enjoyed a good run in the past year, however, playing in every Scotland game from the first autumn Test against Australia until the famous win over the same opponents in Sydney this summer. He was stood down by Scotland coach Gregor Townsend after that match and missed the loss in Fiji as he took some well-earned rest ahead of the new campaign. “It will be exciting,” said the product of Annan RFC and former Selkirk midfielder of tomorrow’s potential milestone. “It has been a long time coming. This is my eighth year at the club and at times at the start, through injury, I might have thought it wasn’t going to happen so when it comes I will enjoy it.

“My first game was against Ulster away at Ravenhill on a wet December Friday night [in 2009]. I played on the wing which I had never played before. I was a bit lighter back then and quickly found out I wasn’t a winger and went back into the centre.”

Dunbar is one of the few members of the squad who is now experiencing life under a third Glasgow coach after the arrival of Dave Rennie.

“Sean [Lineen] gave me my first opportunity coming out of the academy,” he said. “It was only really the last half dozen games when Sean was in charge that I managed to play some regular rugby.

“Under Gregor I played quite a bit of rugby for the first few years and then sadly I got injured and missed big chunks of the season but Dave has come in and brought in a few different things and freshened things up. The boys have taken well to it and it is exciting for the season.

“We were disappointed with last season. We let ourselves down in a few games. We have made some great signings and are looking forward to getting out there and playing again.”