Fit-again Dunbar earns Warriors’ Pro12 recall

Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend had no hesitation in naming Alex Dunbar in the starting XV for tonight’s Guinness Pro12 match with the Dragons, stating that the Scotland centre “has looked really sharp” in training.

Taqele Naiyaravoro has settled in well at Warriors. Picture: Getty

Dunbar, 25, has been out of action since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while training with the national squad in March. Since then he has had to deal with the disappointment of not making it back to full fitness in time to for the World Cup.

But, with Warriors still missing a number of key players who are preparing for Scotland’s quarter-final with Australia on Sunday, Dunbar’s return could not have come at a better time.

Townsend said: “When Alex failed to make the World Cup his next goal was to make sure he was right and feeling fully fit to play for us. The medics and the rehab team have done a great job and I think that now is the time to get him back out there. He has worked very hard to get himself into this position and he has trained very well, particularly looking really sharp this week. “

The other name that jumps off the page when looking at the Warriors’ line-up is Taqele Naiyaravoro, who is making his debut.

He arrived in Scotland two weeks ago and the Fijian-born Australian international winger has settled in well.

“I have been impressed by Taqele in training, but there is a lot more to come from him,” Townsend said.

“He has fitted in really well with the rest of the boys and, in training, he has been working hard and is always asking 
questions to help him become better.”

Elsewhere in the Warriors team, prop D’arcy Rae is ill, so Zander Fagerson starts while Blake is in the back-row in place of Tyrone Holmes.