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Lions tighthead Zander Fagerson signs Glasgow contract extension

By Sam Smith
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

British and Irish Lions prop Zander Fagerson has pledged his future to Glasgow Warriors, putting pen to paper on a long-term contract extension with Danny Wilson’s side. The 25-year-old’s contract extension sees him continue his journey with the club with whom he made his professional debut off the bench in a 43-20 victory over Benetton in October 2014.

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The tight-head enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2015/16, establishing himself in the Glasgow set-up and claiming the young player of the season award, and his irrepressible form at club level saw him called into the senior Scotland set-up, becoming the fourth-youngest prop in his country’s history to be capped at senior level when making his debut against England at Murrayfield in 2016.

Fagerson wrote his name further into the Scottish rugby history books on the 2018 summer tour, becoming part of the 22nd pair of brothers to play for Scotland in the same Test when lining up alongside younger brother Matt against the USA.

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Tadhg Furlong talks about the Lions’ scrum and what to expect from the Springboks next weekend

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Tadhg Furlong talks about the Lions’ scrum and what to expect from the Springboks next weekend

His impressive form was then recognised by Lions boss Warren Gatland, who named him as one of three tightheads in his squad for the 2021 tour to South Africa. “I’m very happy to be continuing at Glasgow for the foreseeable future,” said Fagerson to glasgowwarriors.org. “Glasgow is an incredibly special place for my family and me and it’s become our home.

“I’m excited to keep developing as a player over the next couple of seasons and to help this team to achieve our potential, both individually and collectively. The signings Glasgow has made, both with coaches and players mean we have a very exciting future ahead of us both on and off the field.

“The culture and environment at Scotstoun are unlike anywhere else, it’s a truly special club. I’d also like to thank Scottish Rugby for giving me the opportunity to continue to advance my career from within Scotland, and I’m going to continue to give my all for both club and country every time I’m selected. I can’t wait to get back out and playing in front of our fans, who create an atmosphere that’s right up there with the best in Europe. Hopefully, it’s not too long before we can get the Warrior Nation back where they belong – in the stands in a sold-out Scotstoun.”

Glasgow boss Danny Wilson added: “It’s great news that Zander has signed a new long-term deal with the club. It’s great to be able to retain someone of Zander’s calibre who has already gained international and British and Irish Lions honours, as well as becoming a club centurion all by the age of 25.

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“He is a world-class tighthead prop who has really kicked on these last few years. He’s an extremely effective scrummager who offers a huge amount in the loose as both an attacker and a defender. We’re excited about the direction in which this team is heading and Zander will play a big part in the club’s future. We look forward to continuing to work with him.

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Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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