Sean Lamont says it is time for Scotland to ditch big talk and walk the walk

SEAN Lamont has garnered a reputation for speaking his mind and while he has taken what, for such a garrulous character, would pass as a vow of silence on Scotland’s Six Nations hopes this year his natural enthusiasm remains at a peak.

He turned 31 on Sunday and is soon to start house-hunting in the west of Scotland after agreeing to reunite the Lamont partnership with Rory at Glasgow this summer. There is the small matter of a trip to Castres and meeting with Scotland team-mate Max Evans in the final round of Heineken Cup pool action on Saturday before he then turns his focus towards the RBS Six Nations Championship. With seven tournaments behind him, however, and Scotland fancied as a dark horse in many of them, he is uncharacteristically tight-lipped when asked for a forecast on chances this spring.

“I am sick of saying we have a good chance and nothing happens,” he commented. “Everyone is to be honest, players and supporters I think.

“The boys are all saying it’s not good enough and we have to change that. Everyone has to make it happen and I think we maybe earn greater respect by shutting our mouths. It probably makes for dull interviews, but there’s nothing really to talk about until we do something in the championship.”

He has a point. He also courted controversy among his teammates last season when he criticised them, and himself, for poor performances. So, let us turn away from team forecasts and to what Lamont expects from himself. Returning to Scotland provoked some to ask whether he is taking the easy option: the Blairgowrie boy returning home on a decent pay packet looking towards retirement. Encouragingly, there is alarm in his voice at the suggestion.

“When did I say that? That’s not what it’s about at all. Some people might think I’m finished, but I’m sorry I disagree with that. I spoke to Sean Lineen and Andy [Robinson] about my goals and my plans, and they did not think I was wide of the mark. What I said was I want to shoot for the next World Cup, 2015 in England. Yeah, I’ll be 34 then but I am fit, I’ve looked after myself and I feel that the experience I’ve developed in the club game in Scotland, England and Wales, and in the international game, is really coming to a head for me.

“I understand the game much better and my role; I understand me and what I can do and maybe can’t do better now. I also still have a real desire to improve my skills and my ability to break and score but also cause defences problems and set up team-mates. I am excited about that and Sean shares that. He believes I can develop at Glasgow in a squad that is really competitive, with great young players coming through and a club that wants to challenge the top teams in the Celtic league and across Europe.

“The SRU are buying into that now and when you look at the facilities at Scotstoun and around Glasgow they have everything they need to improve. That’s why I wanted a contract to the next World Cup because in those three years I believe that the club can really build something and I can improve as a player.”

Understood. But...

“No, I want people to know that this was not the easy option either. There was interest in me from French and English clubs, probably with more money, and I would have been confident of holding my own whatever club I went to. But leaving Scarlets on its own was a tough call.

“Scarlets have been a brilliant club to be a part of and they really helped me to kickstart my career when it was flagging a bit at Northampton. I will always owe them. They are also building a good team with real potential for success in the coming years.

“Yeah, there was the brotherly side to it. Rory and I have talked a lot about how we’d love to finish our careers together somewhere, preferably in Scotland if any club would have us. It was great playing together before and we have loved the honour and privilege of playing for Scotland together, and so when the opportunity came up to return to Glasgow it just seemed to good to ignore.

“But, Glasgow have some cracking talent coming through and I have no right to a place. As I’ve said, I want to play international rugby for at least another three years so I want to be somewhere that challenges me, where I have to work hard to get into the team and I can seriously improve as a player.

“In France and the Premiership there are issues with release. When you’re 30, or over, I think you’re more aware of the pressure you’re putting on your bodies and how important the proper rest is; how much better you can perform as a player.

“So it is a big plus that when you’re with a Scottish club you know there are good relations with the national squad and they will look after you, and try to ensure rest periods to allow you to be at your best when you play, whether that’s for Glasgow or Scotland.”

Lamont has been one of the most consistent performers in the Scotland squad over the past two years, but often at centre. He agrees that he needs to become more aware of options around him to improve his threat, but while Andy Robinson also likes him on the wing the head coach has not ruled out using his pace and 16st 8lb frame in the no12 jersey this year.

But, he insists that having been dropped during last year’s championship – “one of the worst experiences in my career” – he has no preference as to where he plays so long as his name is in the XV.

He is hopeful that his brother will return to the Glasgow line-up this weekend, and also be in the running for the Scotland back three, after recovering fully from the clash with Ross Rennie in the recent derby. And Sean laughs when asks if his mother has already requested of Robinson that the elder brother is picked just to look after the somewhat reckless younger one.

“I’ve said before that he needs to learn to look after himself a bit more, but that’s not going to happen now is it? I don’t think he has the same self-preservation gene that most of us do, the bit where you’re heading for a collision and the brain says ‘this is going to get messy’ and makes you pull up. But it’s difficult to be critical of someone for being too committed. He has suffered plenty pain, and of course you worry about your brother, but the number of times he wins balls that started off 60/40 or 70/30 against when he started running, is amazing.”

Both Lamonts are good bets to face England at the start of the RBS Six Nations Championship, somewhere, but the elder brother knows that with players such as Joe Ansbro, Lee Jones, Stuart Hogg and, of course, Tim Visser, on the horizon he will probably have to work harder now to retain a Scotland jersey than at any time in the collection of his 60 caps. But, ever-youthful in his attitude, the homecoming boy certainly appears up for the challenge.

“I’m very excited about the future starting with this Six Nations,” he added. “There was a lot of frustration after the World Cup which went through everybody; the players, the management, supporters, everyone. We want Scotland to do something in the Six Nations. We want to be remembered as players who won games, who brought a smile to Scottish sport. But I’m not predicting anything. We’ll wait and see what happens.”

• Guinness Rugby ambassador Sean Lamont is pictured opposite at the launch of the Guinness Made of More RBS 6 Nations campaign. Rugby fans can get all the latest news updates from inside the Scotland camp with Sean Lamont including player updates and video diaries via www.facebook.com/guinnessgb. Guinness is the official beer partner to the RBS 6 Nations.