Steve Hansen’s Verblitz adds Richie Gray
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Steve Hansen’s big-spending Toyota Verblitz have strengthened their squad by bringing in Scottish lock Richie Gray from URC champions Glasgow Warriors.
World Cup-winning coach Hansen has been part of Toyota’s underperforming setup since 2019 as their director of rugby.
The former Wales head coach, who led the All Blacks to World Cup glory in 2015, retains his Director role for next season but will also serve as head coach after replacing compatriot Ben Herring who led the side to a disappointing seventh-place finish last season.
Hansen has brought in his friend and former All Blacks assistant Ian Foster, who led new Zealand to the World Cup final in France last year, as his co-head coach. The duo has made a host of high-profile signings with Scottish stalwart Gray, 35, who has 79 caps for his country, the latest benefactor of the club’s limitless funds.
Gray has had spells with Premiership outfit Sale Sharks and in France with Castres and then Toulouse.
Glasgow, who sit second in the URC after four rounds, announced on October 4 that the second-rower would be leaving his boyhood club for the second and last time at the end of November to take up a playing opportunity overseas.
The one-time capped British and Irish Lion joins NRL convert Josephu Manu, World Cup fly-half Rikiya Matsuda, Japan centre and reigning League One champion Nicholas McCurran and Australia-born utility-back Matt McGahan as new arrivals in Aichi.
RugbyJP exclusively revealed in June that in internal power struggle was going to at the club in terms of recruitment between Hansen and Foster with one favouring a high-profile international lock and the other preferring to invest in a top-class international 10.
Toyota announced the arrival of Japan-qualified McGahan on 1 July and Matsuda on 10 July.
"It's a pleasure to be here,” said Gray in a Toyota Verblitz press release issued on Tuesday.
“I'm really looking forward to seeing you all and trying my best and working hard to be part of a successful environment and successful Verblitz team. Hope to see you soon.”
Toyota kick off their 2024-2025 season away against former League One champions Kubota Spears on Sunday 22 December at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
