They may have lost out on the rugby Rolls Royce that is Thom Evans, but Scotland�s sevens management have been able to call upon the prototype that was built to rather different specifications in the shape of Sean Lamont.

They may have lost out on the rugby Rolls Royce that is Thom Evans, but Scotland's sevens management have been able to call upon the prototype that was built to rather different specifications in the shape of Sean Lamont.

Evans, Scottish rugby's fastest player, was ruled out of Saturday's Emirates Airlines Edinburgh Sevens with what has been described as a "short-term foot injury" after playing a major part in helping his team qualify for the knockout stages of the London tournament last Saturday.

Scotland achieved a best- ever finish at the event when they reached the semi-finals and are now further boosted by the inclusion of the vastly experienced Lamont.

While they are rather different in physique and Lamont relies mainly on power to break through defences, the careers of the two bear remarkable similarities. Neither was a product of domestic rugby, learning the game in England, both were given their first major contracts by Glasgow Warriors and both got their first experience of senior international rugby with the national sevens team.

Both have also gone on to play Test rugby with their brothers after persuading Sean Lineen, the Warriors coach, to give Rory Lamont and Max Evans trials for the club.

While Thom has emerged this season as a Scotland regular, however, that was at Sean's expense since he dropped out of the team during this season's Six Nations campaign.

Seven years on from first catching the eye at the Commonwealth Games sevens tournament in Manchester, this is an important opportunity for a player who has won 36 caps and scored seven Test tries. He made it clear that he will relish it, having watched last weekend's tournament with something of an envious eye, but acknowledged that it will be challenging.

"I was sitting watching the London Sevens on TV and thinking it would be nice to play some sevens again, especially in such nice weather," he said. "It was surreal when I got a call from Stevie Gemmell, the Scotland Sevens coach asking me if I wanted to play.

"I feel like the pressure is on me now because the guys put in such a great performance at Twickenham. I'm actually more nervous about this weekend's tournament than I have been about any of the other games I've played in."

For Gemmell, who has laboured hard for most of this season with what has mainly been a development team, having senior internationals keen to play in his team is extremely welcome.

"What's most important for me is that Sean wants to be here and it's a great opportunity for him to perform on the international stage again. I know it's been a while since Sean played sevens, but it's where he made his name and I've no doubt he'll be a huge asset to the squad."

Lamont had been a transfer target for Edinburgh before making his recent decision to join Llanelli Scarlets. However, another back-three player has joined the capital club, Steve Jones, who was formerly with the Border Reivers, becoming their fifth signing ahead of the 2009/10 campaign, all of them Scottish qualified.

"I've not just signed to play for Edinburgh, I also want to become Scotland's first choice full-back, so I'm going to give it everything to make the jersey mine," said Jones, who has spent the past two seasons in the English Premiership with Newcastle Falcons.