After spending his entire career at Edinburgh, where he joined right out of school, Jamie Ritchie will depart for French Top 14 team Perpignan at the end of the current campaign, stating that he is ready for a “new challenge.” “I have literally grown up at this club over the last 10 years and this has been an incredibly hard decision for me and my family to move on,” he said, adding that he has loved his time here and is incredibly grateful to everyone who has been a part of that journey.
“I simply believe that the time has come for us as a family to experience a totally different way of life and a fresh challenge in a new nation. I will continue to give the team my whole attention until the end of the season, as usual.”
Ritchie captained Scotland at the 2023 World Cup after being selected as captain in the fall of 2022.
Ritchie, who earned his 55th international cap in last weekend’s Six Nations triumph over Italy, was the target of Edinburgh’s contract extension negotiations.
Head coach Sean Everitt stated, “We have done everything we can to keep Jamie at the club, but we must respect his personal decision.”
“We hope he has the best possible relocation to Perpignan. We know Jamie will give it his best each and every time he dons the Edinburgh jersey, even though there is still a lot of rugby still to play until the season ends.”