SEAN Lamont may have turned down the chance to return to the Scottish professional game this summer, but the winger is excited about returning to Murrayfield this weekend after being called into the Scotland Sevens squad for the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens.
The Scottish squad are back in Edinburgh after pulling off a stunning result at the Twickenham sevens at the weekend, reaching the semi-finals for the first time.
They eventually lost out to England, who went on to beat New Zealand and win their
own crown, and Scotland will meet the Auld Enemy again first up on Saturday afternoon.
Lamont replaces Thom Evans in the Scotland squad, after the Glasgow winger suffered a foot injury. Lamont said:
"I haven't played sevens since 2003 and I'm quite a different player now – I'm 10kgs heavier for a start – but it's a fantastic opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it."
Lamont has left Northampton after four years at Franklins Gardens and signed for the Scarlets. He confirmed that he had been in talks with the SRU over a move to Edinburgh, but that he had opted for Llanelli instead.
Lamont, whose wife is English and mother lives in England, explained: "It really came down to family reasons at the end of the day, but it was very, very hard to decide against Edinburgh. The club is going well and having played under Andy Robinson with Scotland A last year they have a tremendous coach."
"There were other possibilities as well, but there are reasons why the Scarlets could offer me the fresh start that I'm looking for to get my career going again. They have a brand new stadium, fantastic indoor and outdoor training facilities, gyms etc, and they have a great club with a big loyal fan base.
"I'm not saying these are reasons for not going to Edinburgh, but when you add those things to the family commitments, you have it swung Scarlets' way."
• The Scotland Sevens team are inviting young rugby fans to meet and train with them at their penultimate training session at Murrayfield from 2.30pm today.
Scotland Sevens coach Stephen Gemmell is taking charge of the open session, which will involve a warm-up, skills zone, passing and kicking challenges. To be involved arrive at Murrayfield for 2.15pm and congregate around the artificial pitch on the Murrayfield back pitches. Entry to the stadium is via Gate B off Roseburn Street.
Scotland 7s squad (to play in the Emirates Airline Edinburgh Sevens, 30 and 31 May): S Forrest (Ayr) capt, M Adamson, C Gregor, H O'Hare, C Shaw (all Glasgow), A Hogg, J Houston G Laidlaw, J Thompson, A Turnbull (all Edinburgh), R Grant (West of Scotland), S Lamont (Northampton).
The full article contains 464 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
