Scotland’s Fagerson leaves darkness behind after toughest year

Zander Fagerson, one of the greatest Scottish essentials, is back after 232 days without a game.

Three tears for a year are enough. No more bizarre knee injuries; thanks, the one from the gym lifting weights was sufficient.

The tighthead prop’s first game since April against Tonga came on Sunday, and to say he enjoyed it is mild.

After Scotland won with a score of 56-0, the 29-year-old said, “It’s been a dark few months.” Don’t get me wrong, the lungs need a little more adjustment.

The toughest year in Fagerson’s rugby career has come in 2025. He injured his calf while training with the Glasgow Warriors in April despite performing well in the Six Nations. He was still a member of the Australian tour squad, but it was one he never took.

He beamingly talked us through the agony after the Tonga game.

He currently has 76 caps, but his absence made him seem like a rookie who had just won his first. Was he anxious about returning? Yes, but he worried more about his family because they wouldn’t have to endure another setback.

He describes his extended family, his wife, his four children, and “I’m doing it all for them at the end of the day.” “All those dark summer months have been with me forever,” he said. Therefore, it was more of a celebration for them than just me.

It was truly exceptional, but I won’t lie: I went to see them at the anthems and had a slight snob, but it was all right. It was satisfactory.

“I just buzzed to be back,” I said. I was a little rusty, but I’m hoping to improve on that.

It had been a difficult summer. He traveled to the south to get suited and booted before being chosen to play for the Lions on his second tour.

The level of excitement was unmatched. Tadhg Furlong, Will Stuart, and himself were present at tighthead.

Fagerson was flying, despite Furlong’s preference for the Test jersey. Or at least he had flown.

The Scot was the tighthead with the most minutes in the Six Nations. Although the first of the calf issues had already appeared by that time, those who saw him play regularly knew he was a legitimate Test contender. As a result, there was uncertainty in his own head.

He said, “I felt like I was in good shape and playing well.” And I quickly lost everything. In Australia, I believe I could have provided a strong account of myself.

“I broke my first calf, and then I broke it again, and it was working out well.” Then I was given permission to continue pressing.

“As a result of a number of other things we didn’t pick up, I also had another tear on a different muscle.” That was therefore brutal.

Then, because I’ve been compensating so much on my left side, that calf flared up again.

In early June, Fagerson withdrew from the Lions squad. I was going to travel with the national team [Scotland were touring in New Zealand], and I might be called out for the Lions later, he said.

All of that was destroyed by injury.

He flew away with his wife and three children, including the newly born twins, to Asia for a month to escape. enticing . However, his mother and his father-in-law also traveled, which was a blessing.

As they explored Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Singapore, everyone was at their best.

He said, “We did some incredible things, memories I’ll have for a lifetime and time I won’t get back.” The other two will undoubtedly recall it, but the twins won’t.

“We had a fantastic time. I sort of mentally recalled the Lions’ tour, but it really only seemed to aggravate me a little bit when the first Test started. That made things look a little dim.

What we do not see and the trials of an elite sportsman. Ferguson focused on getting his body healthy again after returning from vacation with a clear head. The injured knee is then.

He claims that his fourth injury in just a few months was “the knee.” “The knee was the worst one. I was back in good spirits and prepared to go. I was yelling to hear from the boys.

The knee just didn’t feel right when I did some squats and then [lifting] weights in the gym. really couldn’t walk on it. A scan came in. Not ideal . 100% of my career’s worst experience.

We need to have a chat, Yasmine said. You’ve been a little shadowy for some time.

Because I had a break with the kids, I was rested, prepared, and ready to start the season with Glasgow, so the knee was the most challenging. And that was also taken from me.

He worked hard in the shadows, hoping to make it back for the All Blacks game but failing, and then hoping to face the Pumas, but not quite ready.

“I didn’t fully train with the squad until about three weeks ago,” Fagerson said. It was pretty strange to enter every day and only to see the physios because all the boys were away, either on vacation or touring.

The hard work eventually paid off. The missus tapped me on the shoulder, he continued. She says, “Your ironing and dishwasher skills are garbage, and you’re ready to go back to your day job.”