Glasgow Warriors and Scotland prop Zander Fagerson is navigating the ultimate test of endurance, both at home and on the rugby field. As he approaches his 30th birthday, the father of four young children – including 14-month-old twins – is channelling the resilience forged from a crushing personal setback into his team's European campaign.
From Lions Dream to Injury Nightmare
The year 2025 promised so much for Fagerson. Fresh from the birth of his twins, Fia and Hector, he received the call-up to the British & Irish Lions squad for their tour to Australia. The euphoria was short-lived. A cruel sequence of calf injuries meant the kit-fitting day in London was the closest he would get to the tour, a dream shattered before it began.
"It was brutal and probably the toughest couple of months of my career," Fagerson admits, reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster. "Running by yourself, no one else in the building and all your mates on a Lions tour... I found out some things about myself."
In an attempt to salvage the situation, he took his family on an extended holiday to Asia. Returning to Glasgow reinvigorated, disaster struck again on his very first day back, suffering a significant knee injury during a gym session. "It really knocked me for six," he confesses, noting that not being able to play with his children was particularly difficult.
A Warrior's Reset and Glasgow's Charge
Now, after what he wryly calls an "eight-month pre-season," Fagerson is back, driven and determined. His return has bolstered a Glasgow side riding a wave of confidence. The Warriors are unbeaten in their Champions Cup pool and can secure a top seeding for the knockout stages with a victory over Saracens at Scotstoun this Sunday.
Fagerson and his brother Matt were instrumental in Glasgow's stunning comeback from 21-0 down to defeat Toulouse 28-21 in December. Away wins at Sale and Clermont have further cemented their status as genuine contenders. "The boys know our gameplan inside out," Fagerson says. "We work hard – I can vouch for that – but we also have fun."
The prop, who has earned 76 caps for Scotland and made 167 appearances for Glasgow, believes the team has learned from past European quarter-final hammerings – twice by Saracens and once by Leinster. "This competition is brutal. You can't get ahead of yourself," he cautions, but the ambition to go further is palpable.
Faith, Family, and the Future
Turning 30 on 19 January, Fagerson views his arduous year through a lens of faith and perspective. "I'm a man of faith... I've got total trust that God's got a plan for me," he shares. "My last big injury was back in 2018 so in the grand scheme of things maybe this was a little reset."
While he jokes that his body takes longer to warm up than when he was 18, his passion is undimmed. "I'm still loving my rugby and coming to work every day with a smile on my face. That's never going to change. I definitely think I can get better. Age is just a number."
With the imminent departures of Huw Jones and Adam Hastings to French clubs, Fagerson insists it will only strengthen the squad's resolve for the remainder of the season. His immediate focus, however, is on Saracens and a potential birthday celebration topped off with a pool-winning bonus. "It'll be a nice little decompress to have time with the family – and maybe some birthday cake depending how the weekend goes," he smiles. For a player who has endured more than his share of bad luck, a slice of success is richly deserved.
