 Ritchie representingEdinburgh in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | James Thomas Ritchie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1996-08-16)16 August 1996 (age 29) Dundee, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 109 kg (240 lb; 17 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Madras College Strathallan School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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James Thomas Ritchie (born 16 August 1996) is a Scottish professionalrugby union player who plays as aflanker forUnited Rugby Championship clubEdinburgh and theScotland national team.[1]
Jamie Ritchie started his rugby career while being brought up in the city ofDundee. One of his idols is Dundee-bornAndy Nicol.[citation needed]
Outside rugby, he was a silver medalist at theBritish Judo Championships in 2009, theBritish independent schools judo champion in 2010 and playedfirst XIcricket at his school.[2]
While still a teenager, Ritchie made his first-team debut in October 2014 with an appearance from the replacements' bench in thePro12 match againstLeinster.[3] In January 2021, Ritchie signed the longest deal in Edinburgh's history, with head coachRichard 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]
On 6 February 2025, it was confirmed that Ritchie would leave Edinburgh to join French sidePerpignan in theTop 14 from the 2025-26 season.[5]
Ritchie has represented Scotland at under-16, under-18 and under-20.[6] He played in the 2013 and 2014European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship, the latter as captain.[6] In June 2014 he played four matches forScotland under-20 at the2014 IRB Junior World Championship.[7]
Ritchie received his first call up to the seniorScotland squad by coachGregor Townsend in October 2017 for the autumn internationals.[8] Ritchie received his first senior cap againstCanada on the 9 June 2018 in a 48–10 victory.[9]
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.[10]
Ritchie received player of the match in Scotland's match against France in the 2020 Six Nations, after getting punched by France propMohamed Haouas[11] During this gameMohamed Haouas was sent off fordangerous play in the 37th minute for punching Ritchie.[12] He once again won a 2020 Six Nations player of the match award, this time against Wales in a 14–10 victory.[13] 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 the2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals.[14] In 2023 Ritchie was selected in Scotland's 33 player squad for the2023 Rugby World Cup in France.[15]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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