Gregor Brown on his unusual route to Glasgow Warriors

His dad's job in the oil industry took the family away from the north-east of Scotland where Brown was born, but he insists he loved his time in both countries though.

It was a culture shock when the family moved back to Aberdeen. 

He joked: “I remember my first few months back in Aberdeen and having weeks of overcast and started second guessing if the grey was actually blue.

"We lived in Nigeria for five years and then Egypt for a few. I remember a lot of it, it was a cool upbringing and definitely a lot different to most people. It was really cool.

“I was really young, when we moved to Nigeria I was two and moved to Egypt when I was seven and had three years there before coming back to Aberdeen of all places when I was 10 or 11. 

“Sport was huge over there, I swam, was terrible at football and just tried everything.

READ MORE: Glasgow Warriors receive injury boost as trio prepare to return vs Zebre

“They did play rugby in Egypt. You had to be older though so my brother played but I don’t know how, our school pitch was absolutely rock solid.

"They wouldn’t allow you to play on it here. It was concrete.”

The move back to Scotland saw Brown take up rugby and he made his debut for Glasgow Warriors as a 19-year-old but injuries have not been kind since.

A 14-month lay-off came just a week after he made his first appearance, while this season he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for a couple of months/

Normally found in the back-row, Brown has been pressed into action in the second row due to injuries. The 22-year-old insists he is happy to play wherever required.

He continued: “I’d definitely say primarily I’m a flanker but I don’t mind playing in the second row. If Franco backs me there then it’s such a privilege to play for this club I’ll grab any opportunity if that’s back row or second row, I don’t really care.

“At the beginning of the season, I felt good and got a run of games and then picked up the injury at Bayonne away which put me out for a few months which was tough.

"Coming back now and picking up some game time in big games has been really good and really enjoyable. I feel like I’m fighting back to where I was.

“I had a tough run. I made my debut and a week later I got knocked out and did a couple of ligaments in my knee against Zebre away. I got a run of games at the end of the season after that but again picked up back-to-back injuries.

“It was really tough and a lot were contact injuries that you can’t do anything about. This year I’ve been fortunate with some more work I’ve been doing off the pitch which has helped keep me on it. The one in Bayonne was a contact injury that was unavoidable so it was pretty tough.

“It’s definitely weird when you don’t know the exact number of weeks and you’re planning forward saying you might be back here or there. Then it sets in that rehab is dull.

"Being stuck in the gym is dull, especially over the winter when the boys are digging into games like the 1872 Cup.

“It’s tough but having a good group of mates and support staff who understand the situation helps. They’re never going to make it okay but it does make it easier.”

Smith has made Glasgow Warriors a place to be for young players to get their opportunities with the likes of Max Williamson, Jamie Dobie and Alex Samuel all getting regular game time this season.

It’s something Brown has been really impressed with and reckons it’s helping add to the team spirit that anyone can get in and make an impact.

He continued: “It’s really cool turning up and there’s a real tight-knit group of young boys who have played [under]-20s together or come through the academy together.

"It’s such a culture that Franco has created that when young boys do get that opportunity you’re not just there to fill a jersey, you’re there to perform and move the dial forwards.

"There’s huge belief that whoever takes to the pitch will do the job.”