Sean Lamont lined up for homecoming as Edinburgh target Scotland wing

Published on Saturday 7 February 2009 21:28

SCOTLAND winger Sean Lamont is poised to join the growing list of internationals being lured home by the country's professional clubs.

Goal-kicking utility back Chris Paterson started the trend with his return from Gloucester last year.

The homecoming continued when Chris Cusiter signed for Glasgow from Perpignan and Scott McLeod joined Edinburgh from rival Magners League side the Scarlets in the last few weeks.

And sources say Lamont is close to putting pen to paper on a deal that will see him in Edinburgh's colours next season.

If the Northampton winger does come to the capital, as seems likely, Scottish rugby fans will be delighted although a few from the west coast might wonder why Lamont has turned his back on the team that originally nurtured him and gave him his first big break. Both Lamont brothers, Sean and Rory, played for Glasgow before heading south to Northampton and Sale respectively.

In recent months both players have been a target for the Scottish pro-teams who have their own repatriation initiative and the fact that the older brother is headed for Edinburgh suggests that Glasgow might have budgetary restrictions after capturing Cusiter from Perpignan.

The 28-year-old Lamont takes his place on the wing for Scotland against Wales this afternoon to earn his 37th Test cap. He is a proven scorer with 14 tries in 37 appearances for his club since moving south in 2005 and seven tries for Scotland in 36 appearance since winning his first cap in 2004.

Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson has long been looking for a powerhouse addition to his back three and the older Lamont fits the bill perfectly.

National coach Frank Hadden is keen to have a quorum of his national squad players all playing in Scotland where he has access to them outside of the International Rugby Board's fixed windows (five days in the week of a Test match and three days the week before that).

However, the homecoming trend looks likely to grind to a halt for now with both pro-teams' budgets straining at the seams.