Scarlets bid farewell to Scottish flyer Sean Lamont as he returns home

Scotland and Scarlets wing Sean Lamont will leave the Scarlets at the end of this contract in June 2012 to join his former home club Glasgow Warriors.

Lamont, 30, joined the Scarlets in the summer of 2009 and has been a firm favourite with supporters in West Wales – appearing for the 50th time for his region this weekend against Munster and with 50 points to his name from 10 tries in a Scarlets shirt.

Lamont will play the rest of his season at Parc y Scarlets and expressed his thanks to his colleagues and supporters in the Scarlets region – saying it had been a difficult decision and as much a personal one as professionally with the draw of returning to his home roots.

Lamont returns to Glasgow Warriors with his brother fellow Scottish international Rory Lamont who has also re-joined the Scottish club after leaving Toulon.

The Scarlets’ powerful winger, who also plays at centre, joined the region in the summer of 2009 after a spell at Northampton. He was with Glasgow Warriors between 2003 and 2005.

On his decision Sean Lamont said: “I am very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given at the Scarlets – it’s been an excellent time for me and one of the best moves of my career to join such a positive and energetic team environment and the chance to play a brand of rugby I thrive on and enjoy.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to Nigel Davies and the coaching team at the Scarlets for all they have done to support me as a player. The opportunities I’ve had in the Scarlets shirt for the past three seasons have re-ignited my enjoyment and spirit for rugby and have no doubt enhanced and promoted my international career.

“The Scarlets are a very close-knit team, the set-up has strong values and it’s been good to be part of a first-class professional environment at Parc y Scarlets.

“The boys are great to work alongside and the traditions and style of rugby engrained in the West Wales community is one that leaves a huge mark on you as a player.

“Out of respect for the Scarlets jersey and my fellow team-mates, the region and supporters can be sure I will be giving my all to the rest of this season’s campaign – we have some big and intense games ahead of us in both the league and Heineken Cup and I look forward to the chance to show how important this club has been to my career.

“This was genuinely a very difficult decision for me and having spoken to Andy (Robinson) at Scotland, it’s probably the right move for me now and it gives me the chance to take my young family back home and that’s important to me personally.

“A big thanks to all the supporters of the Scarlets and everyone in West Wales that have made me and my family so welcome throughout.”

Head of Rugby at the Scarlets, Nigel Davies said: “Sean has been a powerful player for us and brought experience into a squad at a key time when we were nurturing and developing a number of young backs. As one of our senior players, he has brought a lot to our environment not only in terms of the impact of his own performances on the pitch but the influence of his professionalism and commitment on a group of younger players in training.

“He has shown great respect for our values and philosophy as a rugby group and we all wish him very well back home in Glasgow and respect and support his decision to move at the end of the season.”