Scotland centurion to help future generations of rugby talent 'take next step' with USA college system

The winger, who won 105 caps between 2004 and 2017, will be responsible for working alongside aspiring international rugby players on the US college pathway. The former Glasgow Warriors, Northampton Saints and Scarlets back is one of just four players to win over 100 caps for the Scotland men’s national team.

He is the third most capped men’s player behind Chris Paterson (109) and Ross Ford (110), with his final appearance coming in the 2017 Six Nations championship. During his test career he scored 14 tries and previously worked as strength and conditioning coach for the Scottish Rugby Academy following his retirement from playing.

What is Firstpoint USA? Scotland centurion heads across the Atlantic for exciting new opportunity

FirstPoint USA was founded in 2001 and styles itself as being ‘created by athletes, for athletes.’ It aims to provide budding sportsmen and women with opportunities to pursue both academic and sporting careers at American universities.

Headquartered in Glasgow, with offices across the world from Singapore to New York, it is described as “the world’s leading international sports scholarship and university admissions agency”. FirstPoint supports students with US placements and works with athletes across 18 sports in 87 different countries.

In his role as Director of Rugby, the now 45-year old Lamont will be charged with leading the agency’s global rugby activities. This will include spearheading their expansion as the US collegiate system becomes an increasingly attractive pathway for emerging rugby talent.

He will work closely with FirstPoint’s Head of Rugby Jamie Berrisford, a two-time collegiate rugby National Champion and All-American at Life University, who leads the placement activity for rugby players. More than 900 universities and colleges in the US now boast active rugby rosters.

Lamont will ‘use experience’ to help aspiring rugby players excel in US college system

“It’s a great time to be involved with collegiate rugby,” said Lamont. “There are some incredible opportunities for talented young rugby players to take the next step of their career as a student-athlete in the US.

“The chance to continue playing at a high level and train at amazing campus facilities, while studying for a degree, is something that many international players are now opening their eyes to.

“Whether it’s an academy player looking at exit options or a standout school and club performer, the US collegiate system offers a professional level environment. I look forward to using my experience to help families navigate this journey and seeing our athletes excel in top-tier programs.”

Firstpoint founder and CEO Andrew Kean added: “We are delighted to bring Sean onto the team, he has a great profile within the game and has been working with talented young players since retiring from professional rugby, so is a great fit for the role.”

“Rugby in the States is accelerating rapidly and there’s a big demand from the vast network of coaches we work with for top level international players. It’s been great seeing so many rugby players from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and Middle East enjoying life-changing experiences as student-athletes and having Sean on board will increase our capacity to support even more players and families on their college rugby journey.”

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