Murray and Lamont join exodus of Scots talent

Published on Friday 2 March 2007 00:07

SCOTTISH rugby's talent drain claimed two more victims yesterday when the SRU revealed that internationals Rory Lamont and Euan Murray are leaving Glasgow for England.

The union admits it is powerless to stop the pair and in an attempt to avoid another transfer storm in the build-up to next week's Six Nations match with Ireland, the governing body issued a statement confirming that Murray, Scotland's first-choice tight-head prop, is to join Northampton, while Lamont is moving, with Scott Lawson, the Glasgow hooker, to Sale, this summer.

The SRU stated: "Whilst recognising it is inevitable there will always be player movement at this stage in any season, particularly in a World Cup year, [the SRU] also accepts that it finds it hard and sometimes impossible to compete against larger, more financially secure clubs in other northern hemisphere countries, who are better placed to meet players' overall expectations.

"[The SRU] has endeavoured to make the most of its limited finances and facilities in today's professional game. However, despite many efforts to keep its talented players in Scotland, market forces dictate this is not a situation the governing body has sufficient powers to control."

Murray, who has won seven caps, said: "I am very excited about the move; it will be a new start. The process of making the decision to leave Glasgow was undoubtedly the toughest one I have ever been faced with. I was born in Glasgow, I was raised there, I went to school there and I learned all my rugby there.

"When I became really interested in the sport, my big target was to play for Glasgow and then Scotland. I have been attached to the club for eight years as an apprentice and full-time pro, and I have broken into the international scene.

"Glasgow will always be my home and I have a massive amount to thank a lot of rugby people in this part of the world for. But now is the time to answer a fresh challenge." The prop had offers from a clutch of English and French clubs, but admitted Franklin's Gardens, and the presence there of the former Scotland and Lions prop Tom Smith swung the deal.

He said: "Northampton's tremendous new stadium and their general world-class set-up in terms of facilities made them the obvious choice. The prospect of running out in front of a 15-odd thousand sell-out crowd for every home Guinness Premiership game is fantastic.

"Tom was a giant of Scottish rugby and the Lions before joining Saints. He has been a role model for every young prop and I know it will be a thrill for me to play and train with him.

"But I think the main reason for making the move is to get the opportunity to test myself against some of the biggest and best front-row guys in the world on a regular basis. I am confident my own level of performance will rise and, consequently, Scotland should benefit from that."

The players cannot be blamed for thinking of their futures while the SRU dallies year after year with reviews and commits to nothing. But with speculation that Chris Cusiter, the Borders scrum-half, might follow Simon Taylor to Stade Francais, hooker Dougie Hall also heading south, and another handful still negotiating deals to leave this summer with more preparing to quit after the 2007 Rugby World Cup, these are hugely worrying times for Scottish rugby.

The Glasgow squad flew south yesterday for tonight's Magners League game against Newport Gwent Dragons with coach Sean Lineen insisting: "We know players will leave - it's a fact of professional rugby and will happen every single year."