'I've been in a few dark places...the thought of this game drove me'
Zander Fagerson admits the lure of running out with Glasgow at Celtic Park was the shining light that guided him out of his injury darkness.
The Scotland prop suffered the agony of a broken ankle during Warriors’ trip to South Africa for a clash with Cheetahs back in September.
The injury ruled him out for five months and saw him miss the Dark Blues’ November Tests.
Fagerson, 23, did recover in time to face France in the Scots’ third match of the Guinness Six Nations but was far from fully fit and sat out the final two games of the championship, including the thrilling last-day draw with England at Twickenham.
However, he was fuelled on by the desire to play his part when the Guinness PRO14 grand final is staged just seven miles across the city from his club side’s Scotstoun home at Parkhead.
And tighthead Fagerson has played like a man possessed in recent weeks and it would be unthinkable to see anyone else taking the number three jersey when Warriors march out to face Leinster on Saturday.
“The thought of this game drove me through all the hard times,” revealed Fagerson.
“I’ve been in a few dark places this year but I’ve got a really good support structure behind me with my family and friends, so that helped.
“It was tough being injured but knowing the boys were doing an awesome job out on the field, I said to myself that if I can get myself fit and in a position to play a part if we do get to the final then I’d take it with both hands.
“As a team, we were pretty gutted with how we performed in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup against Saracens a few weeks ago but I was chuffed that I was back fit for that one.
“I’d said from the beginning of the season that playing in the PRO14 final in our own city would be absolutely awesome if we could get there, so to be actually on our way now is incredible.”
Ticket sales for the match have already topped 42,000 and PRO14 chiefs are confident they will yet beat the record crowd of 46,092 for last year’s final showdown between Leinster and Scarlets in Dublin.
Saturday will be Fagerson’s first experience of Celtic Park but has heard much about the atmosphere it can produce.
And he is hoping the noise levels will be cranked up as the ground known as ‘Paradise’ by the Celtic faithful proves to be just as special to the Glasgow squad.
Fagerson said: “I’ve never been to Celtic Park – I was a Peterhead fan growing up.
“But I’ve heard it is awesome. A few of the boys have been before and say it’s great.
“They’ve been talking about the atmosphere it can produce and I hear there’s a big crowd expected.
“Last weekend we had 10,000 at Scotstoun for the win over Ulster and that was amazing. The noise was just incredible.
“If we could get 50,000 Glasgow supporters at Celtic Park it would be just brilliant.
“It’s been building all season for us. Saturday is a massive opportunity to do something special in our own city so we can’t wait.
“It’s been a massive squad effort. There’s been more than 50 boys who have played for Glasgow this season so that speaks to the great academy structure and the depth in every position that we’ve got.
“I’m so proud of all the boys the whole season and now we’re looking to finish on a high.
“I’m just a small cog in the whole effort. I’d be massively honoured to be selected to play in the final.”
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
3 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
1 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
3 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to comments