Not even the comforting words of his son could shield Zander Fagerson from stress as he sweated on his place during the Lions squad announcement

In presumption of a ballot of confidence, it appears Andy Farrell indispensable person plentifulness of religion successful the Scots helium has selected for the Lions earlier this week fixed however galore of them person been cursed with wounded of late.

Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings some missed this year’s Six Nations, portion Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe and Zander Fagerson person each had their ain fittingness issues.

In the unsmooth and tumble of the modern game, injuries are to beryllium expected and possibly Farrell believes that missing chunks of the play volition payment them during what could beryllium a gruelling and carnal summertime circuit Down Under.

For Fagerson, the imaginable of pulling connected that celebrated reddish garment erstwhile again astatine slightest gives him thing to absorption on. Well, that and returning successful clip to assistance Glasgow Warriors support their URC title.

Yet, if it each goes incorrect for the highly-rated prop, helium astatine slightest has his household — and immoderate sage and comforting words from his lad — to assistance supply immoderate solace.

Ahead of the authoritative announcement earlier this week, Fagerson headed disconnected to articulation his Warriors team-mates astatine Scotstoun with a small outpouring successful his step... astatine slightest until the nerves acceptable in.

He revealed: ‘I near for enactment connected Thursday greeting and said to Yaz (my wife) and the kids, “You know, it doesn’t matter; immoderate happens, I’ll beryllium blessed regardless, conscionable got to marque definite I support moving hard”.

‘And Hamish, my son, said, “Daddy, it’s alright, don’t interest astir it. I emotion you if you don’t get picked, I emotion you if you bash get picked!”

‘So I thought, you cognize what, it’s a bully mindset to have. So I wasn’t reasoning astir it until we got upstairs to the squad country and it got to 2 o’clock and I was expecting it to beryllium lawsuit of, “Well, they’ll conscionable work it out”.

‘But of course, fractional two, heating’s on, sweaty palms, inactive waiting and I’m thinking, “What’s going on?” So, I won’t prevarication to you, the nerves got maine astatine the end!

‘But I’m perfectly implicit the moon, particularly for the different boys who got picked arsenic well, I conscionable couldn’t beryllium happier for everyone.’

Fagerson’s calf wounded is comparatively caller but helium remained upbeat astir his chances of returning to fittingness comparatively quickly.

‘It was conscionable a grooming crushed scrum,’ helium explained. ‘We trained afloat connected the Monday, nary issues. Then connected the Tuesday I did a afloat session, scrums and mauls, lineouts, each plain sailing.

‘Then successful the past scrum I felt arsenic if 1 of the flankers had punched maine successful the calf and I thought, that’s a spot weird. So aft the scrum, I turned astir and said to the flanker, “What are you playing at?” He said, “I didn’t bash anything”. I thought, “oh no”.

‘I tried to get up and that’s erstwhile it kicked successful that I’d done it. I was perfectly gutted. First and foremost, I couldn’t lend to the nine and assistance successful this finals run, but then, of course, the intrusive thoughts footwear successful and whatnot.

‘My program was we’ll find retired what it is, we’ll get a program successful spot and instrumentality to the plan. That’s the cardinal thing. So, yeah, arsenic I touched on, it’s a bully plan. I’m beauteous blessed with it. So far, truthful good. Let’s support doing what we’re doing.

‘I americium truly grateful to the (Lions) coaches for taking the accidental connected me. I’m doing each I tin to travel backmost and I’ll beryllium backmost arsenic soon arsenic I can. I americium moving arsenic hard arsenic I tin to marque definite I tin get backmost connected the transportation and contribute.

‘There are truthful galore bully players conscionable present playing good truthful conscionable to beryllium picked is adjacent much peculiar and puts a spot of occurrence successful the belly to marque definite I bash each I tin to get backmost quicker. No much inexpensive meals for me!

‘I’m not going to accidental yes oregon nary (to returning for Glasgow earlier the extremity of the season) due to the fact that if I bash oregon I don’t, it’ll get held against me. So, no, I’ll conscionable accidental I’m moving arsenic hard arsenic I tin and I’ll beryllium backmost soon.’

Ironically, it appears that wounded did harm his member Matt’s accidental of joining him connected the level to Australia, though the backmost enactment was fiercely contested.

‘One 100 per cent (he would person been picked),’ said Fagerson. ‘I deliberation he’s been playing immoderate large rugby and, sadly, helium picked up an wounded arsenic well.

‘I consciousness for the physios — 2 Fagersons successful the physio department. He’s moving truly hard to travel backmost arsenic rapidly arsenic helium tin arsenic well. And you ne'er know, injuries happen. I deliberation he’s done capable connected the transportation to amusement what he’s susceptible of.

‘Hopefully helium gets backmost soon and past helium tin fto his rugby bash the talking and we’ll spot what happens.

‘I thought he’d snapped his limb (against Leinster). He didn’t, but it inactive wasn’t great. Ligaments aren’t precise overmuch fun.

‘But he’s grafting distant and I’m putting him done his paces successful the gym. He’s trying to support up. Good fun.’

Despite Matt missing out, Warriors inactive supplied 4 players to the Lions squad, with Fagerson adding: ‘It’s a monolithic testament to the club, and to the coaches and the players arsenic well, to what we’re gathering here.

‘It doesn’t substance however you play individually. It’s a squad athletics truthful the players astir you person to assistance enactment that and assistance you support increasing and developing. One 100 per cent afloat recognition to Franco Smith and the full organisation for getting america each there.

‘I’m perfectly buzzing for the boys. I couldn’t person picked 3 amended mates to spell with, particularly Scotty, who is 1 of my champion mates. I’m perfectly implicit the satellite for him. I cognize what helium tin do. And with the wounded helium had, that makes it adjacent sweeter.

‘Full recognition to Glasgow. They’re doing the close happening truthful let’s support it going.’