Edinburgh confirm signing of Crusaders scrum-half Louie Chapman

Edinburgh have continued their recruitment drive for next season by signing Crusaders’ Scotland-qualified scrum-half Louie Chapman.

The 25-year-old half-back will join another New Zealand-based player, Hurricanes centre Riley Higgins, in moving to the Scottish capital in the autumn, once his commitments with Canterbury in the domestic NPC competition are complete.

Chapman, who qualifies for Scotland through his Elgin-born grandmother, has signed a two-year deal with Edinburgh, subject to a visa.

“It’s something that makes this opportunity even more special,” he said. “There’s a strong family connection there and hopefully I can make her and the rest of my family proud.

“This opportunity is a really exciting one for me. It’s a new challenge in my career that I’m really looking forward to.”

Chapman will compete with Ben Vellacott and 21-year-old Hector Patterson, who has scored two tries in his first two senior starts in the past fortnight, for the number nine jersey.

Charlie Shiel, Edinburgh’s other senior scrum-half, is out of contract at the end of the season and it is unclear as yet if his future remains with the club.

Chapman made his Super Rugby Pacific debut for Crusaders as part of their development squad in 2023 while playing for Tasman Mako, where he spent five years, in the NPC.

He moved to Canterbury last year and helped the Christchurch-based side to the NPC title, starting 10 of their 11 games, before earning a full-time Crusaders contract. He has featured in five of their 10 Super Rugby Pacific matches this year, with two starts to date.

“Louie has a huge amount of potential, but what stands out when you watch him is the maturity he brings – the control, the decision-making, the way he manages the game with tempo,” said Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt.

“Those aren’t attributes that come by accident, and for a player still on the right side of 26 who has developed in that Crusaders environment, they tell you a great deal about his ceiling.”

The pull of potentially playing international rugby for Scotland was clearly a factor in luring Chapman away from New Zealand to Edinburgh.

“He’s Scottish-qualified, which adds another layer to this signing,” Everitt added. “We want players who see Edinburgh as a place where they can grow and push for the highest level. Louie is someone who fits that profile.

“He will come in and challenge our existing scrum-halves, and that competition will make everyone better. He’s another high-quality addition to a squad we are building with real intent.”

Chapman, a former head boy at Christchurch Boys’ High School where he captained the first XV and represented NZ Schools before progressing through the Crusaders’ junior programme, said he was “so excited to be joining Edinburgh”.

“I’ve been doing my research and the more I’ve learned about the place, the culture and what the club means to this city, the more I can’t wait to get there and be a part of it,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to meeting the boys, getting to know the fans and really throwing myself into everything that comes with playing in Scotland. It’s going to be a brilliant experience and I just want to get stuck in and contribute as quickly as I can.”