Richie Gray (rugby union, born 1989)

Richie Gray (born 24 August 1989) is a Scotland international rugby union player, who plays for Glasgow Warriors. He previously played for Toulouse, Castres Olympique and Sale Sharks.

For other people with the same name, see Richard Gray.

Richie Gray
Birth nameRichard Gray
Date of birth (1989-08-24) 24 August 1989
Place of birthGlasgow, Scotland
Height2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
Weight126 kg (19 st 12 lb; 278 lb)
SchoolKelvinside Academy
Universityn/a
Notable relative(s)Jonny Gray (brother)
SpouseEllie Gray
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Current team Glasgow Warriors
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
-
2006-2007
2007-2008		 Stirling County
Glasgow Hawks
West of Scotland		 ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2012
2012–2013
2013–2016
2016–2020
2020-		 Glasgow Warriors
Sale Sharks
Castres Olympique
Toulouse
Glasgow Warriors		 55
16
65
66
1		 (20)
(5)
(10)
(10)
(0)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2009
2010–
2013		 Scotland U20
Scotland
British and Irish Lions		 12
65
1		 (0)
(15)
(0)

He is easily recognised on the pitch due to his height, standing at 6 ft 10 in, and his long, peroxide blond hairstyle. Alongside Devin Toner, Richie is one of the tallest rugby players in Europe.

Club career

Gray played for provincial sides Glasgow Hawks and West of Scotland. He began his professional career at Glasgow Warriors in 2008, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team at the end of the 2010/11 season. It was announced in November 2011 that Gray would be leaving Glasgow Warriors at the end of the 2011–12 season, having agreed to sign for the Sale Sharks.[1] In May 2013 it was announced that he would leave Sharks and had signed a three-year deal with French team Castres Olympique.[2]

On 24 November 2015, Gray agreed a four-year deal with Top 14 rivals Toulouse from the 2016–17 season.[3]

It was announced on 16 January 2020 that Gray would be returning to his original Glaswegian club, Glasgow Warriors, on a two year deal from the 2020-21 season. [4]

International career

A former Kelvinside Academy student, he has represented Scotland at every age group from under-17 through to the senior sides, winning his first cap as an international as a substitute in the 2010 Six Nations Championship match against France.[5] His first international start came against New Zealand during the 2010 Autumn test series.[6] He scored his first international try in a Six Nations game against Ireland in March 2012, where he smashed through Tommy Bowe and dummied a great pass against Rob Kearney. Gray's 2013 Six Nations got off to a good start with Scotland beating Italy and Ireland, but during the match against Wales at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, he was injured and taken off the field. It was later revealed that he pulled a hamstring and was taken off the pitch as a precaution.[7]

He was selected for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, being the tallest on the tour. He played against Combined Country, Brumbies, Reds and Rebels, and went on to play a part in the final test against Australia, being part of a winning Lions series team.[8]

References
  1. "Scotland second-row Richie Gray to join Sale Sharks". BBC Sport. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  2. "Site officiel CASTRES OLYMPIQUE". Castres-olympique.com. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. Lewis, Clive (24 November 2015). "Richie Gray: Scotland lock agrees deal with Toulouse". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  4. https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/richie-gray-to-return-to-glasgow-warriors-next-season
  5. "The end of the private school rugger boy? How the win over Argentina showed the changing face of Scottish rugby". Daily Record. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. Rees, Paul (11 February 2011). "Six Nations 2011: Scotland's Richie Gray used Guscott flak to drive him on". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
  7. "BBC Sport - Scotland's Richie Gray out for two months with hamstring injury". BBC. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  8. "Lions 2013: Scotland lock Richie Gray aims to reign again as he returns to scene of the sublime with tourists". Telegraph. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.