Gray to depart Glasgow Warriors at end of November

Club centurion Richie Gray will depart Glasgow Warriors at the end of November, after the club agreed to allow the second-rower to pursue a new playing opportunity abroad.

The move – agreed at the benefit of both parties – sees the 35-year-old Scotland international move on from Scotstoun after a 15-year association with the club encompassing two stints as a Warrior.

Having first burst onto the scene in the 2008/09 season, Gray swiftly established himself as one of the northern hemisphere’s premier second-rowers, being named in the 2010/11 PRO12 Dream Team before departing the club in the summer of 2012.

After a season at Sale Sharks and a successful spell in France with both Castres and Toulouse – becoming a TOP14 champion with the latter – Gray returned to Glasgow in the summer of 2020, bringing a wealth of experience to a squad in development.

A British and Irish Lion on the tour of Australia in 2013, the second-rower brought up a century of appearances for his hometown club in May 2023, leading the team out at Scotstoun on his 100^th outing for the Warriors against Munster.

The Rutherglen-born second-rower made his senior Scotland debut in the 2010 Six Nations, reaching 50 caps for his country at the 2015 Rugby World Cup – one of three World Cups at which Gray has represented his country.

Nine years after seeing younger brother Jonny win the Guinness PRO12 in the number five shirt for Glasgow, Gray was at the heart of the action earlier this year, helping his boyhood club to an historic 21-16 win over the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria to lift the 2023/24 BKT URC trophy.

“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at Glasgow Warriors, from the supporters to the backroom team to the players I’ve shared a dressing room with over the years,” Gray told glasgowwarriors.org.

“The support I’ve had throughout my time here – from the first time I stepped onto the pitch to when I came back from France and the last few years since then – has been incredible, and to win the URC together last season was a phenomenal achievement. It’s a great group here and it meant a lot to lift that trophy together.

“When I first came through, we were still playing out at Firhill in front of a couple of thousand people, so it’s such a proud feeling to see where this club is now. To see how everyone has pulled together in the last few years and really grown the club to where we are today shows that we’re in a great place.

“I’m really excited to see how the young guys in the second-row develop. Scott [Cummings]’s development in recent years – both on the field and around the club – has been outstanding, and young Max [Williamson] and Alex [Samuel] are such an exciting duo for both Glasgow and Scotland.

“The two of them were just starting out in the academy when I first came back, and now you look at them and know they’ll be the future of the second-row. They’ve taken everything in their stride, from calling lineouts to leading meetings and everything around the club that supporters might not necessarily see. Even guys like Jare [Oguntibeju], who’s had a few opportunities in the pre-season, show that the future is definitely bright in the second-row, and I’m excited to watch how they kick on.

“This move is a fantastic opportunity for me, and a really exciting move for my family. I’m really looking forward to the challenge that awaits me.

“I’ll definitely be back here with the family at some point, though. Glasgow is my home, and I’ve got no doubt I’ll be here in the stands with the Warrior Nation one day.”

Head Coach Franco Smith paid tribute to the centurion, adding: “Richie has been a fantastic servant to this club, both on and off the field.

“When I first came in, he very quickly adapted to the intensity of our training sessions as well as also adapting elements of his game. I vividly remember my second match in charge, against Cardiff at Scotstoun – he was outstanding that day. We won 15 of our 16 lineouts and he was immense across the field, always putting his hand up for more responsibility.

“He has been a point of reference for me when it comes to our lineouts, but has also been a real leader in our squad, sharing his experience to help develop those around him.

“It will be sad to lose him, but this is a massive opportunity for him at this stage of his career – I know from experience what an opportunity like this means as you’re coming to the end of your career, and I’m very proud of the way he has gone about his business.

“You look at the young talent coming through and you realise how valuable it is for them to learn from Richie – he leads our ‘lineout board’ that we’ve set up to share information and prepare our set-piece for each game, and he has been great with helping our young guys come to the table with their suggestions and ideas.

“His influence will stand us in good stead even once he has moved on, and we wish him all the best.”