Scotland wing Rory Lamont has finally admitted defeat after an injury-ravaged career and retired from professional rugby.
The younger brother of fellow Scotland wing Sean, born in Perth, has spent the last 14 months on the sidelines after breaking his leg against France in last year’s RBS 6 Nations. He was capped 29 times for Scotland, scoring six tries, including one on debut against Wales in 2005.
“I’m sad to say that, after 14 months and exhausting every possible avenue to recovery, I’m forced to retire from rugby,” said Lamont, who returned to Glasgow Warriors for a second spell in 2011.
“I’ve been struggling with injury for some time and it’s clear I won’t be able to get back to the level I was playing at before.
“Despite a tough time personally, it’s been a privilege to see the boys at Glasgow do so well and make such good progress this season.
“It’s fantastic to have been at the club during this exciting time and I wish them all the very best for the remaining games this season.”
The 30-year-old, a powerful runner and threat from both wing and full-back, was almost always a first choice pick for Scotland when available but that proved to be intermittent as he suffered a succession of serious injuries, most as a result of his no-holds-barred style of play.
Lamont was picked up by Glasgow in 2004 shortly after his brother joined the club and was in the Scotland team within a year.
A fixture right up until the world cup of 2007, a collision injury against Italy in that tournament put him out of the quarter-final against Argentina and started a run ofterrible luck.
He sustained a cheekbone fracture in 2008 against England at Murrayfield, and managed only 21 games in three seasons with Sale Sharks after leaving Glasgow because of a serious knee injury and, when he returned to the Scotland squad in 2010, he was hurt again in the ill-fated match in Cardiff where team-mates Thom Evans and Chris Paterson also suffered serious injuries.
Lamont returned to Glasgow after a short spell at Toulon in France but managed just six appearances in his second stint with the club.
The final blow was the broken leg suffered in last year’s Six Nations and, although he managed a comeback match for Dundee HSFP in the RBS Premiership this year at Currie, scoring a try while watched by Scotland coach Scott Johnson and Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend, he broke down in training the following week.
“I have to give a big thank-you to anyone who has shown me support throughout my career. I have huge gratitude for the experiences rugby has given me,” said Lamont on Twitter.
“The highlight has been the amazing people I have had the privilege to meet along the way and consequently the lifelong friendships formed. There will be many things I’m going to miss, but I’ve had a pretty good stint.”
Glasgow Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend said: “Rory has had a frustrating time with injury and everyone at the club feels for him not being able to get back to fitness. We were all hoping he’d make a full recovery and show what he could do in a Warriors jersey.
“I’d like to thank him for his contribution to the club over his two spells here and he goes with our very best wishes for the future.”