ALASDAIR Dickinson is used to playing alongside Scotland’s first-choice tighthead prop for Edinburgh, but on Monday he will have the novel experience of coming head to head with him instead against Glasgow in the first leg of the 1872 Cup.
The explanation for that, of course, is that with Dickinson’s Edinburgh team-mate WP Nel out of the Autumn Tests through injury, the Warriors’ Zander Fagerson took over the No 3 jersey for the games against Australia, Argentina and Georgia. Nel is due back in action soon, and should regain the shirt for the start of the Six Nations Championship, but Fagerson - at 20 a full decade younger - is sure to take long-term possession sooner or later.
As someone who trains with the best tighthead in the business and gets to grips with opponents in that position every week, Dickinson, who has himself only recently returned from injury to his usual starting position at loosehead prop for Edinburgh, is arguably better placed than anyone to assess the progress made by Fagerson over recent months. Unsurprisingly, he has been impressed by the Glasgow player’s displays both in Europe for his club and at Murrayfield and Rugby Park for Scotland.
“I get on really well with him - he’s a good kid, working hard and playing some outstanding stuff,” Dickinson said. “He’s been blooded internationally as well.
“He’s playing really well and has definitely been a standout for Glasgow. He’ll be champing at the bit this weekend and it’ll be a tough battle.
“He’s got a great ethic and he wants to learn. Every time he’s at Scotland he asks questions and he loves it. It’s a great thing for Scotland to have that level of competition - he’s just 20, we’ve got WP who is 30, and it’s great to have that. They’ll both push each other.
“I was impressed with the whole [Warriors] squad really,” Dickinson continued when asked about Fagerson’s performances in the two Champions Cup wins over Racing. “The props take the credit when it’s due and the flak when that’s due, but the guys working around him were working hard, and you could tell what a good unit they have.
“Knowing Zander, Gordy [Gordon Reid] and Fraz [Fraser Brown] with Scotland, we know how passionate they are about scrummaging. They’ve got an outstanding scrummage, the boys coming off the bench or whoever starts. They’ve got a pretty good record of not getting penalised and that speaks for itself in where they are the league and in Europe. Last week they were winning pens against Racing: that shows how good they are.”
As well as admiring Fagerson, Dickinson has also been impressed by his own team-mate Simon Berghan, who has himself just come back from injury and played for Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup against Stade Francais. Nonetheless, the loosehead prop is also well aware of just how big a loss Nel is to his own team.
“It’s a big blow,” he accepted.. “WP has shown his class last couple of seasons. It’s good to have big Bergy back - he’s been out with a toe injury. He’s another prospect coming through; he’s still pretty young.
“WP missing is a massive blow, but getting himself right is a big thing - it’ll add a couple of years to his career. We deal with it: it’s pro sport and you just have to crack on and deal with injuries. I’ve been there.
“He’s actually flying at the minute and the rest will probably have done him good, but he’s a massive loss. But it gives other guys the chance to step up.”
Dickinson has been involved in Edinburgh’s games against Glasgow for a dozen years now, having first taken the field against them at Hughenden back in 2003 when current Edinburgh head coach Duncan Hodge and Glasgow assistant Mike Blair were among his team-mates. The Warriors have been the dominant side for much of the ensuing period, at least in terms of final position in the PRO12, but Edinburgh have won the last three fixtures and will therefore go into Monday’s Murrayfield match respecting rather than fearing their rivals.
“The last few years have been pretty good obviously but it’s a different prospect at the weekend, What we’ve done in the past doesn’t make a great deal of difference. Glasgow are going well up the league and up there in Europe, so it’ll be tough.
“It’ll be an even battle [in the scrum]. They’ll be coming after us, that’s the way it is. They’ve improved loads over the last couple of years, especially front five. The guys playing at the minute are flying high and full of confidence and that’s something we have to take away. We know how hard it’ll be.”
Both Edinburgh and Glasgow will announce their teams for the Boxing Day match at lunchtime today.
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