Racing 92 v Glasgow Warriors: Champions Cup preview
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 09/01/16 3:12pm
Glasgow's Zander Fagerson insists his side will pay no special attention to Dan Carter when they face Racing 92 in the Champions Cup on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
A win for Glasgow would send them to the top of Pool 3 after four rounds, but face a tough challenge as they travel to Paris to take on the Top 14 leaders.
Central to the French side's success has been newcomer Carter, but despite the influence of the World Cup winner, Fagerson says the Warriors will pay him no more attention than the rest of the players on the field.
"If you focus on one player and the other 14 play brilliantly you're in a bit trouble," Fagerson told Sky Sports. "Looking at their team they've got a few good players, not just one.
"We will do what we can to impose our own game on them and work on our defence to stop them playing the way they want to play."
"I'm enjoying every opportunity that comes my way. Every chance I get, I'm taking it with both hands.
Zander Fagerson
The Glasgow prop has made three appearances from the bench in the Champions Cup so far, but this week starts for the Warriors in France.
"I'm enjoying every opportunity that comes my way. Every chance I get, I'm taking it with both hands.
"It's a great opportunity to play against them and a massive challenge for me."
"Every week I learn something different, I'm progressing week on week, and it's definitely going to benefit me in future years when I have a lot more experience and have a lot more playing behind my back."
At 19 years old and plying his trade in the front row, a lot is made of Fagerson's age, but the tighthead says he wants to be judged on performances alone.
"I really don't like it when people say 'he didn't do well because he's young'. Treat me as an equal, don't just look at my age.
"If I'm being trusted to do that job at a young age I should be able to it. So if I muck up, tell me I mucked up and don't brush over it."
The forward says Glasgow are expecting a classic French reception when they run out for the game.
"It's stereotypical; big brutes of men trying to impose themselves on you physically. It's about what you can do to make them move because they're not great at moving that well.
"They're the standard French-style team, they've going to try run over the top of you, not sidestep or anything like that. It's about fronting up with big tackles and staying nice and low with the ball so you can use your leg drive."
Fagerson starts the game alongside Gordon Reid and hooker Pat MacArthur in the front row, while skipper Jonny Gray joins Leone Nakarawa in the second row.
Finn Russell has been moved to inside centre for the clash, where he partners Mark Bennett, while Duncan Weir wears the No 10 jersey.
Weir is tasked with marking Carter, who links up with Maxime Machenaud in the half-backs, while a strong front row awaits Fagerson as Eddy Ben Arous, Dimitri Szarzewski, and Kiwi Ben Tameifuna take the field.
Racing 92: 15 Johannes Goosen, 14 Juan Imhoff, 13 Henry Chavancy, 12 Alexandre Dumoulin, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Maxime Machenaud, 1 Eddy Ben Arous, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 4 Luke Charteris, 5 Manuel Carizza, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 7 Wenceslas Lauret, 8 Chris Masoe.
Replacements: 16. Camille Chat, 17 Julien Brugnaut, 18 Luc Ducalcon, 19 Bernard Le Roux, 20 Antonie Claassen, 21 Brice Dulin, 22 Mike Phillips, 23 Casey Laulala.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Finn Russell, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Ali Price, 1 Gordon Reid, 2 Pat MacArthur, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 5 Jonny Gray (c), 6 Ryan Wilson, 7 Chris Fusaro, 8 Adam Ashe.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Hugh Blake, 21 Lee Jones, 22 Sam Johnson, 23 Glenn Bryce.
Watch Racing 92 v Glasgow Warriors live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday from 12.30pm. Catch the match for £6.99 on NOW TV. No contract.