NSW Waratahs prop Tom Lambert is reaping the benefits of his decision to return home and turn down Scotland as the loosehead hunts for higher honours behind a powerhouse scrum.
Lambert has been one of the unsung heroes of the Waratahs' undefeated start to the season, who'll get a chance to test their premiership credentials against the Hurricanes on Friday.
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The Waratahs saw an exodus of Test front-rowers in 2025, with Angus Bell, Dave Porecki and Taniela Tupou all departing.
It left Lambert and co to step up, delivering a powerful scrummaging performance.
According to Opta, the Waratahs sit ninth for total scrums yet led the competition for scrum penalties won (six).
In fact, over half (53%) of their scrums have ended in either a penalty or free kick going their way.
Lambert has found himself at the forefront of the success, crediting the entire pack and scrum coach Dan Palmer.
“I think with me, 'Dobby' [Ethan Dobbins] and [Dan] Botha are stepping in for the likes of ‘Belly’, Nela [Taniela Tupou] and 'Pork' [Dave Porecki], so obviously those are heavyset Wallabies and we want to be able to step up to that role," he told Rugby.com.au.
"It's a big responsibility on us, but I think it's just made it so easy the way ‘Palms’ has kind of implemented these systems.
“I feel like it's not just the front row that gets the scrum going forward, it's all eight and that's the kind of mentality. It's all eight every scrum, and we don't take all the credit…it's definitely a whole pack thing and I wouldn't get forward if it wasn't for my locks or my back row.”
With the departure of James Slipper at Test level, it leaves a gap Lambert is hungry to fill, having turned down previous opportunities with Scotland.
Eligible through his grandfather, Lambert represented Scotland at the U20s while he was at Glasgow.
But the chance to represent his boyhood club brought him back and solidified his hunt for a gold jersey.
“There was some talks about it because obviously I am Scottish eligible and that's kind of how it goes," he said.
"I know ‘Sese’ [Mosese Tuipulotu] went back over, 'Tavi' [Ottavio Tuipulotu] as well, who was here in the academy, there was chats, but I pretty much went straight into my season here at the Tahs, and then I had an opportunity to play Australia A, and I was capped by them and then shut it off from there.
“I think there was an option to stay there for longer and extend my stay, but I think just for where I was at in my career, I was quite young, came off the back of an injury, didn't actually play too much footy over there, and it was during lockdown.
"I was out for a whole season, and then an opportunity came up to come back to the Tahs. It was a club that I always dreamed of coming back to.
“I think at that stage of my career, given the circumstances that happened, I felt like I needed to come home, and I think it was a great decision for me. I've really enjoyed my time being at the Waratahs, it's my boyhood club, and I wouldn't change it.”
Lambert has had a taste of the gold jersey, featuring for Australia A in 2023 and 2024, and is eager to return to Wallabies camps.
“It was a whirlwind year because I had a jolted couple of years with injuries, so 2023, when Belly went down with injury, I had a lot of opportunities, and I rolled into Australia A and Barbarians, which was a really exciting season for me," he added.
“I ended up doing a couple of Wallabies camps leading up to the World Cup, and ever since then, I’ve been itching to get back into that environment, and that’s what I am striving for.”
