THERE can be something robotic about the current breed of leading sports people.

They work hard, focus on the next game - taking everything one match at a time, of course - and hope that if they put in the performances the results will come. So on a day when the whole nation is deciding its future, there is something refreshing about being able to chat about it with a rugby player who has some real expertise on the matter.

Or so you'd have thought. "Keep the questions to rugby," grumbled the PR guy supervising Tim Swinson's press conference as Glasgow Warriors prepared to travel to Wales for their crucial match against the Ospreys tomorrow. Fortunately, Swinson was bright enough to ignore it all and keep talking.

He cheerfully chatted about his degree in political science, joking about his attempt to do a masters on the effect of the Tea Party in American elections until he realised that as a qualification for a post-rugby job in the west of Scotland, it was about as useless as you could get.

"I'm trying to find an MA in something I find interesting and will also be useful," said the lock. "It turns out that politics will not be of any use to me after rugby. I still enjoy reading about it but in the real world being able to talk about the Tea Party from America, especially in the West of Scotland, has zero application to a job.

"I am trying to work out what I want to do. Rugby was my dream from10 or 11 but I thought it was not possible at that age to play professionally. I've done that, done it for a long time already and hope to do it for a few more years, but after that I really have nothing that really draws me in with so much of a positive mindset as rugby. I am trying to think what could come close to it. I'll find something.

"There seems to be quite a change in politics in Britain. It is going to be interesting to see what happens in Scotland. I will be interested to see what effect the small parties have on the traditional two larger parties and who comes out as the government."

On a personal level, he is rooting for Jo Swinson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Dunbartonshire East. As you'd expect. She is, after all, his cousin. "She seems to have a fight on her hands if the polls are anything to go by. Not personally, but the whole of Scotland may be going towards the SNP. We hope for the best, she seems to be doing quite a good job for her constituents," he said.

Swinson has always been able to keep his off-field interests going despite his high-powered rugby career which has taken him from the academy at Newcastle Falcons while studying for his degree at the city's university, to Glasgow and on to Scotland honours starting in South Africa nearly two years ago.

Now 28, the Glasgow man is probably coming close to the best years of his career, and since he is equally determined to seize the chance and make sure his peak years coincide with a period of success and titles for Glasgow, election night this evening is going to be an early one with the Ospreys game coming tomorrow.

He is as aware as any that a win in the Liberty Stadium would mean a second consecutive home semi final in the Guinness PRO12, which Glasgow currently lead.

"If this game was before Christmas it would have the same intensity," he insisted. "We are two teams in the top section of the league and it just so happens that at the end of the year we have the league positions to back it up. We want to win this as much as possible and they want to win as well.

"It is a massive game not only leading into the play offs but it would guarantee us a home semi final, which is fantastic for the club the second year running.

"There are a lot of things to play for but just because it is two weeks before the play-offs does not make it any bigger. They are a big team and we are a big team and we want to compete in these big games.

"I want to play well for my friends, for the team, for Glasgow. I want to win this game then go on to Ulster and then go on to the semi and the final and be the first Scottish team to win a title."