Walker handed URC run to rebuild career as Fagerson absence opens door at Glasgow

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith has urged Murphy Walker to focus on building match fitness and consistency at club level before any conversation about a Scotland recall, with the tighthead prop set to start the new URC season having managed just 16 appearances for Glasgow over the past four years.

Walker, who turns 27 next month, has been hampered by a succession of serious injuries — including hamstring, neck, calf and knee problems — since making his Scotland debut in November 2022 after only eight senior club outings. Despite those disruptions, he has accumulated six international caps, a quirk that Smith acknowledged with dry humour.

“He’s played international rugby, so he has been recognised — I think he’s got more international caps than he has for the club!” Smith said. “But the most important ingredient now is for him to play well, enjoy what is happening, but not put any expectation on his current position.”

Smith was candid about the scale of the challenge facing Walker. “He has missed a lot of time on the pitch, even though he has trained really hard. He has got to play now. Whether that influences his recovery on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, to get back for the next game — the main training ingredient is the previous game.”

The Glasgow coach outlined a clear short-term objective for the prop. “We would like to see him get a bit of continuity. For now, that should be the objective — to stay fit, learn to recover and have the ability to play consecutive weeks. Then maybe there is another discussion. But for now, I don’t think he must look further than the next week.”

Smith also praised Walker’s mental resilience through a difficult period. “Murphy’s willingness to fight disappointment and keep on working hard, away from the team, is something that stands out.”

Walker’s opportunity is sharpened by the absence of Scotland and Glasgow loosehead Zander Fagerson, who is not expected to be available until the club’s European Champions Cup opener at Sale in mid-October. That leaves the first three rounds of URC fixtures — beginning with Saturday’s trip to face Munster at Thomond Park — as a genuine window for Walker to reassert himself.

Elsewhere in the Glasgow squad, versatile back Jamie Dobie will reach a personal milestone against Munster, making his 100th appearance for the club at just 25 years old. The sometime scrum-half is set to start the season on the left wing, a position he has also filled on international duty for Scotland.