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Richie Gray to make sensational return to Scottish rugby
Scotland and British and Irish Lions international Richie Gray will be returning to his first professional club, after agreeing a two-year deal with Glasgow Warriors ahead of the 2020/21 season.
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His capture will go a considerable way to ameliorating the loss of his younger brother Jonny, who has signed for Exeter Chiefs.
The second-rower becomes incoming head coach Danny Wilson’s first new signing for the Warriors, with the former fans favourite re-joining the club from reigning French Top14 champions Toulouse, subject to medical.
Standing at 6’10” and weighing in at 126kg, Gray made his Glasgow debut away to Ulster in March 2009 before making his first start for his hometown club two months later in a 30-9 victory over Connacht at Firhill.
He went on to make 47 appearances in his first spell with the Warriors over four years, playing a part in a host of famous moments including a last-gasp winning try against Bath in the 2011/12 Heineken Cup.
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Gray spent a season at English Premiership side Sale Sharks following his departure from the club in 2012, before a three-year stint at Castres preceded his time at Toulouse.
The 30-year-old has played 51 times for Toulouse and played a key part in Les Rouge et Noir’s successes last season, helping the French side to a Heineken Champions Cup semi-final and the Top14 title.
He has also excelled on the international stage throughout his career, winning 55 caps for Scotland since his debut in 2010.
Gray is also the most recent Scotland international to take to the field in a British & Irish Lions Test, coming off the bench in the third Test victory over Australia on the 2013 tour.
“That for me is ridiculous"
Townsend is not pleased with how English rugby bosses have scheduled the weekends leading into the #SixNations https://t.co/lODZZ3Bybk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 16, 2020
Speaking to glasgowwarriors.org, Richie Gray, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be coming back to Glasgow. It’s great to be bringing my family back home, and also to come back to the club where it all began for me. It’s certainly something very exciting for me.
“I can’t wait to come back. We were still at Firhill when I left, and the club has obviously made big moves forward since then. Scotstoun is a great place to play rugby – it’s packed every week and I can’t wait to be a part of that.
“Danny (Wilson) is great – he’s really enthusiastic about the club and is very ambitious. We’re both on the same page and we’re both really looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“My focus until the end of the season is fully on Toulouse – I want to try and add a couple more titles to this club’s trophy cabinet. I’ve learnt a lot and gained a lot of experience, and been part of a successful side over the last couple of years. I want to bring that experience back to Glasgow and win titles with the Warriors.
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“To come back and play at Scotstoun in front of my family, friends and the Warrior Nation was a huge factor in my decision.? The club’s had so much success in recent years in getting to the knockout stages of the Guinness PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup and I want to come back and be a part of that.”
Glasgow Warriors Incoming Head Coach, Danny Wilson, added: “During my conversations with Richie it was clear he was very passionate about the club and he’ll be an excellent addition to our squad.
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“He brings a wealth of experience from his time playing in England, France and internationally with Scotland and the British & Irish Lions. It’s great news that he has decided to come home to Glasgow next season and we’re looking forward to him joining us in the summer.
“Richie is our first new signing for next season, following the announcement of a number of renewals recently and we hope to be able to make further announcements in relation to next season’s squad over the coming weeks.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments