RIVAL BLAKE A KEY SPUR FOR FUSARO
AS A motivational tool, if little else, Gregor Townsend’s decision to bring controversial Scotland call-up Hugh Blake on loan to Glasgow Warriors was inspired.
The New Zealand-born flanker hit the headlines earlier this year when he was parachuted into Vern Cotter’s Six Nations squad ahead of more experienced men, such as John Barclay, without playing a competitive match in Scotland.
Blake was then loaned from Edinburgh Rugby to Warriors at the request of Townsend in late March to compete for the openside jersey with Chris Fusaro, who had just returned following three months out with an ankle injury.
However, if the Kiwi believed he would be the man in possession of the starting jersey, he was soon to be proved very wrong.
Indeed, Fusaro has seen off his rival in such emphatic fashion that the former New Zealand Under- 20 player has not played a single game for Glasgow si nce he joined — and was even allowed to turn out f or Melrose in the a mateur BT Premiership.
The Fifer, on the other ha n d, has played f our ti mes since his return from injury and will once again be in the starting line-up for the vital Guinness Pro12 match against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea this Friday.
‘The more guys that play in your position for Glasgow or Scotland, the more of a challenge it is,’ said Fusaro. ‘You have to be at the top of your game and I know I have to put in good performances to get noticed.
‘Having other players in your position drives standards up.’
Fusaro’s return to top form and fitness could not have come at a better time for Glasgow’s championship challenge.
Tyrone Holmes, the only other experienced No 7 on Glasgow’s books, has a knee injury. And with Blake failing to live up to expectations, it is only him and the inexperienced Will Bordill — who has started just once this season — who remain as alternatives.
A win against the Ospreys will guarantee Glasgow a home play-off semi-final — with a defeat meaning they would have to beat Ulster at home in the final league match of the regular season to have a chance of enjoying a Scotstoun tie.
Fusaro hopes starring in such big games will help him fulfil his double dream of helping Glasgow to their first league title and securing a place in Scotland’s World Cup squad.
‘Glasgow making it to the play-offs will give me a few more games to show what I can do at a vital stage of the season for us,’ said the 25-year-old.
‘Hopefully, as a consequence of doing well for Glasgow, that will get me back in the Scotland squad in time for the World Cup. Once you have played for Scotland, you want to do so as often as possible, especially in the World Cup.
‘That is one of my biggest goals, especially after being left frustrated by missing out on the Six Nations through injury. I haven’t played for Scotland since last summer against South Africa.’
Fu sa r o came through the youth academy set-up at Warriors with players such as Peter Horne and his first season in 2010 was really when the success story of the Scotstoun club began. Their first run to the league play-offs came under former head coach Sean Lineen but ended in defeat against this week’s opposition, The Ospreys, in the semi-finals. Since then, Fusaro has seen the team grow in stature.
‘I was in the academy for a year with the likes of Peter Horne and since then it has been a gradual progression for the club,’ said the back row, who has four caps for his country. ‘My first two years were under Sean Lineen and a good squad was assembled.
‘Gregor took over and now we have made four league semi-finals in a row. We are getting closer to our potential and that is being shown by our results.
‘ We know we need a win over Ospreys to get a home semi-final which would give us a massive advantage whoever we play.
‘Last year there was a 10,000 sell-out against Munster at Scotstoun in the semi and the atmosphere was electric.’