Greig Laidlaw's next stop revealed... and it isn't in France

Ex-Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw won’t be staying on in France after all as Japan is now said to be the next stop in the 34-year-old’s club career. 

It was January when it was reported that the scrum-half was on his way out of Clermont following a three-year stay and would be staying in France.

Pro D2 outfit Perpignan was set to be Laidlaw’s next pit-stop in a career where the Scot initially went to France after a three-season stint at Gloucester in the English Premiership.

However, rather than commit to the Catalan club, he has instead opted to join an unnamed Top League club in Japan for the 2021 season. 

The Top League last week terminated its 2020 season early due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Laidlaw’s reported move there suggests thoughts are already looking towards next year and further going the popularity of the sport in Japan on the back of the 2019 World Cup. 

Laidlaw, who announced his retirement from Test rugby in December, was part of the Scotland team knocked out of the finals last October in the pool stages when beaten by the host country.

France bi-weekly Midi Olympique are now reporting he is heading back to Japan to prolong his career after flip-flopping over a switch to Perpignan.  

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