Jamie Ritchie

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 captains the Scotland national team.[1]

Not to be confused with Jamie Ritchie (baseball).

Jamie Ritchie
Ritchie representing Scotland during the World Rugby Under 20 Championship
Full nameJames Thomas Ritchie
Date of birth (1996-08-16) 16 August 1996
Place of birthDundee, Scotland
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight109 kg (240 lb; 17 st 2 lb)
SchoolStrathallan School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Current team Edinburgh
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014– Edinburgh 98 (35)
Correct as of 26 April 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Scotland U18 5 (0)
2014–2016 Scotland U20 18 (25)
2018– Scotland 46 (5)
Correct as of 10 October 2023

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. "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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