Glasgow Warriors key duo in frame for return in Champions Cup tie as rule change discussed

Scotland duo Kyle Steyn and Zander Fagerson are in the frame to return for Glasgow Warriors in this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup opener against Sale Sharks.

Neither has played this season due to foot and knee injuries, respectively, but could feature on Saturday.

“Kyle's trained fully now for the last 10 days or so and Zander's back in fully this week,” said Scott Forrest, the Glasgow assistant coach. “They're both in the mix for selection.”

Steyn, the Glasgow winger and captain, and Fagerson, the tighthead prop, are hugely influential players for the Warriors and their availability strengthens the club’s hand ahead of the match at the CorpAcq Stadium. Kyle Rowe is also available after missing last week’s win over Connacht in the URC through illness.

Matt Fagerson is touch and go after coming off early against Connacht due to a groin issue. It could open the door for a debut for Ruwald van der Merwe, the South African back-row forward who joined the club in the summer, or Euan Ferrie, who has recovered from a knee injury.

“[Matt’s] probably not as bad as first thought,” said Forrest. “He has had something similar in the past. He's not trained much at the start of the week but he's moving about absolutely fine.

“Whether he plays this week or not, we'll wait and see. I suppose there's a balance there of as important as this game is, there are other important games coming up for us, for Scotland.

“I think we've got other players there that are ready and waiting to go. Ruwald van der Merwe, who's obviously not played yet, is training well. Euan Ferrie's back on the pitch.”

“I think it suits us as a club,” said Forrest, the Warriors defence coach. “We are a team that want to keep playing in the final quarter of games. We want to keep scoring tries.

“It probably just adds a little bit of a sharpened focus about actually conceding a late try which can have more of an impact now even if we have scored three or four tries ourselves.”