Sydney-raised prop Tom Lambert on cusp of Wallabies debut after rejecting Scotland three times

Lambert, who has just moved to Queensland after four seasons with the Waratahs, was speaking at the team hotel on Edinburgh's Royal Mile ahead of Australia's clash with Scotland on Monday (AEDT). He could have been in the Scotland team hotel alongside other Australians Jack Dempsey and Sione Tuipulotu.

The SRU first contacted Lambert out of the blue six years ago with an offer to play for the Scotland under-20s after discovering his Scottish eligibility through his paternal grandfather Tom Lambert. Lambert had played for Australian schoolboys in 2018 but missed the Junior Wallabies squad in 2020.

"My agent got a call from Scotland saying they're looking for a prop and if I would be interested in coming over for the [under-20s] Six Nations," Lambert said. He played five games and then signed a two-year deal with Glasgow, making his senior debut in late 2021 before missing most of the second year with injury.

The SRU, which has a program of recruiting foreign "project players" with Scottish heritage, wanted Lambert to re-sign. "They were interested in keeping me over and putting me through that pathway," he said. "I did a training week with the Scotland team in the build-up to a South Africa Test, just to get a little bit of a taste. I had a little bit of a chat with [Scotland coach] Gregor Townsend as well. But ultimately, I thought the best decision for me was to go back home."

Lambert signed a two-year deal with his "boyhood club", the Waratahs, and debuted in 2023. He played for Australia A midway through 2023, capturing his eligibility for Australia for at least three years. Even that did not deter the SRU. In early 2024, when considering his next contract, Lambert was again offered a spot at Glasgow, which would have opened a door to play for Scotland in mid-2026 after an eligibility swap and a three-year international stand-down.

"I'd probably be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about it," Lambert said. "I had an injury in 2024 that ruled me out for the year, and I wasn't too sure if I was going to get picked in that Aussie A side that year."

Lambert turned them down again, re-signed with NSW and played for Australia A again later that year. Over the last two years, he has been a mainstay for the Waratahs. Glasgow came knocking again earlier this year as Lambert worked on a new contract, but it was the same answer. He ended up moving to the Reds instead, chasing more starting opportunity.

"It was pretty easy for me – I'm born and raised in Australia, represented the under-18s, and my family's in Sydney … so it was a pretty easy decision, especially with the World Cup coming next year," Lambert said. "I knew I was in and around it [potential Wallabies selection] to some degree, and I just had to keep my head down and hopefully get an opportunity."

Lambert finally got the phone call last month while on tour with Australia A. "That was an incredible call to get. For myself, for my family, very happy, very proud. Yeah, I'm very happy to be here," he said.

Lambert said it would be a "surreal feeling" to make his Test debut against Scotland, but that is unlikely. He will likely debut against Wales the following week, or in the finals weekend in London at the end of the month.