Matt Fagerson has set his sights on achieving more success with Glasgow Warriors after agreeing a new deal that will see him remain at Scotstoun for the next three years.
Fagerson has become a fixture in the back-row for club and country since making his professional debut in September 2016, and was a pivotal figure in Glasgow’s run to the United Rugby Championship (URC) title last season.
After standing up to Munster's talisman Peter O'Mahony in a defining moment of the semi-final win at Thomond Park, Fagerson then turned in another supreme performance as Glasgow beat the Bulls in Pretoria to win the title.
Fagerson, who will miss the rest of this season after suffering a serious ankle injury last month, has since gone on to make 126 appearances in Glasgow colours to date.
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In that time, he has scored 24 tries and is one of only five forwards to reach the 20-try milestone in the club's history.
A mainstay in Scotland squads since his debut, Fagerson was selected for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, whilst his appearance against Australia in the closing match of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series brought up a half-century of caps in the dark blue jersey.
“When [wife] Alex and I sat down and looked through our options to decide what was next for us in our lives, we came to the conclusion that this was the best place for us to develop as a family,” Fagerson said.
“The off-field and family network is so important; my wife and I love Glasgow and we’ve got a great group of friends here, we’ve obviously got Zander, Yasmine and the kids here as well, Alex’s family isn’t too far away – all of those factors just made it clear to us that this was where we wanted to be.
“So many team-mates have left their mark on me and help me to develop, and that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give to Glasgow Warriors.
"I came in here with a lot of ambition but possibly lacking in physical ability or rugby smarts, and this club has shaped me into the person and player I am today.
"I’m nowhere near the finished article, though – I want to keep pushing on and keep developing in all aspects of my game.
“The title win in Pretoria last season is obviously right up at the top in terms of highlights from my time here so far – the manner in which we did it and the group that we did it with was something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
“I’d also say doing the double in the 1872 Cup a few years ago (2022/23) was special – we played some great rugby across those two ties, and it was massive for the development of this group."
Fagerson also picked out playing in front of 27,500 fans at Hampden Park for the 1872 Cup clash with Edinburgh Rugby earlier this season as an "unforgettable" moment.
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And he wants to get his hands on more trophies, but not just with the Warriors.
“I really want to push myself and win more trophies, not only with Glasgow but for Scotland as well.
"I know I’ve got more to give and more levels I want to reach in my own game, and I want to use this rehabilitation process I’m going through at the minute to come back stronger both physically and mentally.”
Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith added: “Matt’s pride at representing this club shines through in each of his performances, and we are pleased to be able to retain his services as we continue our preparations for next season.
“He is a role model to our young Scottish forwards coming through our academy system, and we look forward to working closely with him over the next few years.”
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