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by | Mar 29, 2018 | Vernonia

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James Thomas Ritchie (born 16 August 1996) is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh and the Scotland national team.[1]

Early life

Jamie Ritchie started his rugby career while being brought up in the city of Dundee. One of his idols is Dundee-born Andy Nicol.

Outside rugby, he was a silver medalist at the British Judo Championships in 2009, the British independent schools judo champion in 2010 and played first XI cricket at his school.[2]

Club career

While still a teenager, Ritchie made his first-team debut in October 2014 with an appearance from the replacements' bench in the Pro12 match against Leinster.[3] In January 2021, Ritchie signed the longest deal in Edinburgh's history, with head coach Richard Cockerill describing Ritchie as a future Scotland captain. "“Jamie is an excellent young player with an old head on his shoulders. He has a really bright future ahead of him and we’re delighted he’s signed such a long-term deal. His work-rate is immense but it’s the quality of work within that which sets him apart," Cockerill said.[4]

International career

Ritchie has represented Scotland at under-16, under-18 and under-20.[5] He played in the 2013 and 2014 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship, the latter as captain.[5] In June 2014 he played four matches for Scotland under-20 at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.[6]

Ritchie received his first call up to the senior Scotland squad by coach Gregor Townsend in October 2017 for the autumn internationals.[7] Ritchie received his first senior cap against Canada on the 9 June 2018 in a 48–10 victory.[8]

Ritchie was picked in Scotland's 2019 Rugby World Cup squad. However he fractured his cheekbone in the last warm-up match for Scotland against Georgia.[9]

Ritchie received player of the match in Scotland's match against France in the 2020 Six Nations, after getting punched by France prop Mohamed Haouas[10] During this game Mohamed Haouas was sent off for dangerous play in the 37th minute for punching Ritchie.[11] He once again won a 2020 Six Nations player of the match award, this time against Wales in a 14–10 victory.[12] It was Scotland's first win on Welsh soil since 2002.

In October 2022 Ritchie was named as the captain of the Scottish squad for the 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals.[13] In 2023 Ritchie was selected in Scotland's 33 player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Edinburgh sign 17-year-old Jamie Ritchie for first team". BBC. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Starlet Scot's promise secures senior deal | Edinburgh Rugby". Edinburgh rugby. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Edinburgh Rugby (Jamie Ritchie) - Edinburgh Rugby". www.edinburghrugby.org.
  4. ^ "RITCHIE SIGNS RECORD DEAL". www.edinburghrugby.org. 14 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Solomons hails new Edinburgh signing Ritchie". Scotsman. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Edinburgh sign exciting Scotland prospect Jamie Ritchie". Sky Sports. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Scotland: Gregor Townsend calls up 10 new caps for autumn Tests". BBC. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Scottish Rugby on Twitter".
  9. ^ "Scotland add Bradbury as Ritchie cover" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Scotland beat France at BT Murrayfield for second straight win". Scottish Rugby Union. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  11. ^ "Six Nations 2020: Red-carded Mohamed Haouas to talk to coaches - Raphael Ibanez". BBC Sport. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Scotland win in Wales to end 18-year wait" – via www.bbc.com.
  13. ^ "Scotland: Finn Russell left out of autumn squad as Jamie Ritchie named captain". 19 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020 – via www.bbc.com.
  14. ^ "Scotland squad named for Rugby World Cup 2023". Scottish Rugby Union.
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