Sean Lamont: Glasgow Warriors building impressive fitness
- Published
Sean Lamont played his final match before retirement in Glasgow Warriors' May defeat by Edinburgh
Former Scotland back Sean Lamont says under new head coach Dave Rennie, Glasgow Warriors are becoming a supremely fit squad.
Glasgow opened their Pro14 account with a battling win over Connacht in Galway.
Ex-wing and centre Lamont, Scotland's third most-capped international, ended his 17-year playing career at Scotstoun last season.
"They've been working hard, some of the fitness scores coming out are fairly disgusting - in a good sense," he said.
"I look there now and try to put myself on that fitness test list, I'm getting closer to the front-row, which is quite scary."
The emerging crop
In their league opener, and his first competitive match in charge, Rennie placed his trust in a clutch of young forwards bidding to earn regular berths in his starting line-up.
Pro14 highlights: Connacht 12-18 Glasgow Warriors
Loose-head prop Jamie Bhatti is 23, hooker George Turner 24, and despite his 12 international caps, Scotland regular Zander Fagerson remains only 21.
Second-row Scott Cummings and flanker Matt Smith are still just 20, while number eight Adam Ashe, 24, was named man of the match.
Replacement back Adam Hastings, 21, had a hand in the Warriors' first try, while hooker James Malcolm, 22, prop Adam Nicol, 20, and younger Fagerson sibling Matt, an 18-year-old back-row, were also among the substitutes.
"They're all in a good place, they've gelled well, and those young guys are a year more experienced, which can make a huge difference," Lamont, 36, told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.
Rennie picked a youthful bunch of forwards in Saturday's win over Connacht
"They have to step up now, especially in the international windows. The gap between the guys that start and the guys that miss out is much narrower. When the starting guys - normally the Scotland players - go away, the difference is not as much, and I think that's where we can start picking up points."
'They've got to back it up'
At Edinburgh, Rennie's counterpart and fellow new addition Richard Cockerill appointed 22-year-old Magnus Bradbury club captain last week.
Bradbury led his side to an impressive 20-10 victory away to Cardiff Blues in their league opener.
"They've got to start making results and they've got to back up this week's result with another next week," 105-cap Lamont said.
Pro14 highlights: Cardiff Blues 10-20 Edinburgh
"Cockers [Cockerill] is fairly old school by all accounts, I think the guys weren't allowed any music in the gym until they got their first pre-season win. Little things like that.
"If the guys go well and play well, they get rewards. But he's a fairly no-nonsense kind of guy. If you cross him, you're in trouble.
"As much as I'm a Glasgow man, I want to see both teams doing well. For Scottish rugby, it's putting us on the map, and when one team's not doing well, the whole of Scottish rugby gets dragged down. In the same way, Glasgow doing well has increased the profile."