Zander: It's All Kicking Off

Fagerson says boot snore fest is a turn off for fans

- Gordon Parks

However, the Scotland prop believes time and patience are required to fine-tune the faults of a fast-improving sport.

An alarming tendency for teams to launch the ball at one another is an issue which critics claim must be tackled for the good of the game.

As preparations continue ahead of an Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, the 24-year-old admits winning comes before the risk of armchair fans switching off in their droves.

He said: “I do understand some of the fans’ frustrations but as a player I think defence is improving and attack is improving.

“It is hard to score points, it is hard to gain territory and possession. The sport as a whole is growing and I understand it can be frustrating to watch but trying to create mismatches isn’t as easy as it used to be.