THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS


Lamont shapes up as cool finisher in heat of battle
DAVID FERGUSON
RORY Lamont has helped breathe new life into Scotland's back division since taking over the No15 jersey last month, but he still believes he should have scored more tries in Scotland's first match of the Rugby World Cup.

The full-back, who left Glasgow for Sale in the summer, opened Scotland's 2007 World Cup account with two tries against Portugal and was only denied a third by an obstruction call by referee Steve Walsh. He now has three tries in 11 internationals and is closing on his brother Sean, who has scored seven in 32. He believes there are more to come from him and this Scottish side.

He said: "To score a couple of tries early on you're obviously going to be delighted with it, but I thought I'd got a hat-trick and was hoping I would get one or two more; they just didn't come my way. But it was actually a really tough game. The Portuguese were stocky and hard, and pretty tenacious at the breakdown so we weren't getting quick ball, which made it was hard for us.

"I think the mood among the guys was 'satisfied but room for improvement'. We got the victory that we needed, scored a few points, but obviously we knew it wasn't a flawless performance. The Portuguese were pretty tenacious at the breakdown. We weren't getting quick ball. They slowed it down very well and, unfortunately, that meant it was a very hard game for us.

"We knew it was going to be very tough because we had watched them, and knew how they attacked the game with a real enthusiasm. This was their World Cup final and so they were always going to put in 100 per cent effort. They're also pretty stocky guys who worked really hard in defence, so you felt it when they tackled. It was by no means easy to get the points that we scored.

"But I think the scoreline shows that there is a difference between the teams. It certainly was difficult. So, we know within the squad that there's stuff to work on, but we've got eight days of hard work now ahead of us to put things right, but we know there is more to come."

One of Scotland's problems in recent years has been the inability to uncover a finish to the creativity which goes on behind the gain-line, but the presence of the strong-running Lamonts, alongside Chris Paterson, Andy Henderson, Simon Webster, Mike Blair and Hugo Southwell, who, between them, have scored 57 Test tries, suggests there is a greater clinical threat in the current back division.

Eight tries in the first game represented a good start from a match always likely to prove tricky, if not wholly difficult to win, but with most of their players professional and based in France Romania should prove a tougher defence to break down.

Lamont said: "It's about working now on the areas we need to sharpen up before we get back to Murrayfield. When we go into that next game against Romania we know it's going to be very tough and we're going to have to get up and support our players quicker I think.

"I think maybe we didn't have the urgency at the breakdown that we should have had against Portugal. I think we were maybe a little bit slow to get the first man in to clear the ball. But that's something that's fixed pretty easily. It's just a mentality.

"Portugal showed that no matter who you're up against guys are going to put their body on the line, because this is the World Cup. It's special to every single player taking part in it and everyone's going to put in a huge amount of effort, but that is the same for us. I'm delighted to be involved and so are all the Scottish players, and we're confident we will pick up next week."

For a World Cup newcomer, however, Lamont is clearly revelling in the limelight on and off the park. His self-belief has never really been in question, but there is a feeling in the squad that with increased strike-runners emerging there is a new ability to turn defence into attack, and compete more effectively with the leading sides in the tournament.

All the players are focusing on Romania at this moment in time, but Lamont admitted he hoped that the World Cup fever would follow them home and Scotland fans would play as enthusiastic a part in the Murrayfield games with the "Mighty Oaks" and New Zealand as was the case in Saint-Etienne.

He added: "Yeah, the atmosphere at the game was fantastic. The locals really got into it. Since being here, I can't speak highly enough of the local people.

"Obviously, we're back to Scotland next week and against Romania and New Zealand it is going to be vital that we get our own fans to come and watch us because it does make a huge difference when you're out there.

" It's a bit of a cliché to say it's an extra man, but it really does feel like it makes a huge difference. I'd plead with all Scottish fans to come and support us."

This article was posted on 11-Sep-2007, 06:53 by Hugh Barrow.