An annular surgical fastener applier system comprising: an annular surgical fastener applier including; a handle assembly; a cartridge assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and including a plurality of pushers, each one of the plurality of pushers including a protruding forming head and a groove; an anvil assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and including a plurality of fastener deforming cavities; the fastener deforming cavities having an arcuate profile; the cartridge assembly housing a plurality of surgical fasteners arranged in at least one annular row, each surgical fastener of the plurality of surgical fasteners including a backspan and a pair of legs extending therefrom, each leg terminating in a tip, the backspan having a bend, the backspan of each of the surgical fasteners configured for engagement by the groove of each of the plurality of pushers; and wherein at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly is configured for approximation toward the other such that each of the plurality of pushers align the legs of each of the plurality of surgical fasteners for entry into the respective fastener deforming cavities, characterised in that: the groove is shaped to accommodate the profile of the backspan and will retain the backspan upon motion or moderate lateral shifting but will disengage the backspan when translated away from the backspan, the protruding forming head is laterally spaced from the groove and extends from the surface of the pusher towards the anvil assembly, the forming head having a curved portion that extends partially through a proximal portion of the pusher such that a distal portion of the curved portion approaches a distal surface of the groove and lies substantially level with the groove such that the distal portions of the curved portion lie coplanar with and parallel to the backspan, whereby as the pusher and anvil are drawn together, the legs engage the curved portion (146, 446) of the forming head and deform away from the head with the legs diverging and approaching the ends of the backspan as they approach a proximal part of the curved portion that lies in the groove such that in the fully formed surgical fastener, a portion of the legs lie parallel to and abut a portion of the backspan within an area A of a horizontal plane, the plane being defined by the backspan and the bend, the backspan and bend defining the area within plane that accommodates portions of the legs upon deformation and wherein the tips of the legs face a portion of the backspan such that the tips are orientated inwardly toward the backspan. an annular surgical fastener applier including; a handle assembly; a cartridge assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and including a plurality of pushers, each one of the plurality of pushers including a protruding forming head and a groove; an anvil assembly operably connected to the handle assembly and including a plurality of fastener deforming cavities; the fastener deforming cavities having an arcuate profile; the cartridge assembly housing a plurality of surgical fasteners arranged in at least one annular row, each surgical fastener of the plurality of surgical fasteners including a backspan and a pair of legs extending therefrom, each leg terminating in a tip, the backspan having a bend, the backspan of each of the surgical fasteners configured for engagement by the groove of each of the plurality of pushers; and wherein at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly is configured for approximation toward the other such that each of the plurality of pushers align the legs of each of the plurality of surgical fasteners for entry into the respective fastener deforming cavities, characterised in that: the groove is shaped to accommodate the profile of the backspan and will retain the backspan upon motion or moderate lateral shifting but will disengage the backspan when translated away from the backspan, the protruding forming head is laterally spaced from the groove and extends from the surface of the pusher towards the anvil assembly, the forming head having a curved portion that extends partially through a proximal portion of the pusher such that a distal portion of the curved portion approaches a distal surface of the groove and lies substantially level with the groove such that the distal portions of the curved portion lie coplanar with and parallel to the backspan, whereby as the pusher and anvil are drawn together, the legs engage the curved portion (146, 446) of the forming head and deform away from the head with the legs diverging and approaching the ends of the backspan as they approach a proximal part of the curved portion that lies in the groove such that in the fully formed surgical fastener, a portion of the legs lie parallel to and abut a portion of the backspan within an area A of a horizontal plane, the plane being defined by the backspan and the bend, the backspan and bend defining the area within plane that accommodates portions of the legs upon deformation and wherein the tips of the legs face a portion of the backspan such that the tips are orientated inwardly toward the backspan.