Vern Cotter seemed intent on stripping out all the experience in the Scotland team for youthful exuberance but Sean Lamont is the exception to win his 91st cap on Sunday against Wales.
Lamont’s 91 caps just about doubles the total in Scotland’s back division as he replaces Tommy Seymour, who did not recover in time from the hip knock he took in the defeat in the RBS 6 Nations opener in France. The only other change in the starting team was the obvious one, Geoff Cross doing his usual filling-in for the Sabbath observant, Euan Murray.
Dougie Fife, the try-scorer in the Stade de France, is the unlucky one to miss out altogether, as the recovering Matt Scott and the versatility of Greig Tonks are preferred on the bench. Glasgow’s Jon Welsh replaces Cross among the replacements.
Lamont has always said that he’ll “never retire, I’ll just be left out one day.” That day has yet to come and isn’t imminent, as Cotter feels that the big man’s presence, power and importantly his influence within the squad are precious commodities.
“Positionally, we don’t have a great deal of depth there,” said Cotter, when asked why Lamont was still in the squad when he pointedly has not selected a number of other experienced names, and referring to the injuries to Seymour and Sean Maitland.
“But Sean has impressed me with his attitude, his professionalism right from the start,” he continued. “He sets standards within the group, I think he’s been absolutely outstanding since I’ve been here making sure things are done right.
“He’s fully fit and gives us speed and strength, he’s a big man and he’s got a fierce determination to play well. He’s a big influence on the group.”
Lamont missed out on France because of a leg injury, but as soon as he was fit, Cotter went to him again over the younger Fife.
“He supposedly had an injury that meant a couple of weeks out, but Sean seems to heal much quicker than anyone else. He’s always gone about looking after himself well. It’s tough on Dougie but Sean brings us the experience he has.”
Lamont reckons he’s inherited the healing powers of his brother Rory who had to retire after multiple injuries – but he’s also a superior defender, and he knows all about opposite number Liam Williams, whom he played with at the Scarlets.
“He’s a great player and someone I’ve got a lot of time for,” he said. “He’s intense of the pitch and pretty fiery, but that’s a good thing. He’s light and punches above his weight but you can see the passion when he plays.”
As for himself, Lamont is still targeting 100 caps he’ll need to get into the World Cup squad to do that now but he’ll keep playing as long as he’s wanted and would quite like to get his hands on that trophy at last.
“This is a New Year, another chance and we are setting out to win this thing.” he added. “I have been trying for eleven years and haven’t won one yet and want to bloody get one before I finish up.
“Wales have handed us some horrendous defeats and we wasn’t to put that right. You can forget last year, we’re a different animal this time round through the way our players have grown up.
“Without a doubt, we need to win. For too many years we have said ‘well, we’ve had a good autumn.’ and then fallen flat. Last year was a classic example.
“We need to win every game in the tournament now to have a chance of winning it and that starts against Wales. They are a damned good side and have some talented players. They are physical and they’ll try to bully us but we need match them physically and when we’ve done that in the games we’ve played well.
“This Scotland team has a superb fitness, we can keep on going when other teams tire themselves out. We do like that underdog status and that’s what we’ll have again going into this game.
“Nobody expects us to win but if we stick to our systems, restrict our penalty count and take the game to them then we’ll be in a good place.”
Scotland team: Stuart Hogg; Sean Lamont, Mark Bennett, Alex Dunbar (all Glasgow Warriors), Tim Visser (Edinburgh); Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester, capt); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (both Edinburgh), Geoff Cross (London Irish); Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres Olympique); Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Cowan (London Irish), Johnnie Beattie (Castres Olympique).
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh (all Glasgow Warriors), Jim Hamilton (Saracens), Alasdair Strokosch (USA Perpignan), San Hidalgo-Clyne, Matt Scott, Greig Tonks (all Edinburgh).