Richard James Gray (born 24 August 1989) is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for United Rugby Championship club Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.
 Gray representing Toulouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Richard James Gray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 24 August 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rutherglen, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 126 kg (278 lb; 19 st 12 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Kelvinside Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Jonny Gray (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Club career
editGray played for provincial sides Glasgow Hawks and West of Scotland. He began his professional career at Glasgow Warriors in 2008, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team at the end of the 2010/11 season. It was announced in November 2011 that Gray would be leaving Glasgow Warriors at the end of the 2011–12 season, having agreed to sign for the Sale Sharks.[1] In May 2013 it was announced that he would leave Sharks and had signed a three-year deal with French team Castres Olympique.[2]
On 24 November 2015, Gray agreed a four-year deal with Top 14 rivals Toulouse from the 2016–17 season.[3] Gray was part of the Toulouse team that won the Top 14 in 2019.
It was announced on 16 January 2020 that Gray would be returning to his original Glaswegian club, Glasgow Warriors, on a two-year deal from the 2020–21 season.[4] Gray was part of the Glasgow team that won the URC Final in 2024.
International career
editA former Kelvinside Academy student, Gray has represented Scotland at every age group from under-17 through to the senior sides, winning his first cap as an international as a substitute in the 2010 Six Nations Championship match against France.[5] His first international start came against New Zealand during the 2010 Autumn test series.[6] He scored his first international try in a Six Nations game against Ireland in March 2012, where he smashed through Tommy Bowe and dummied a great pass against Rob Kearney. Gray's 2013 Six Nations got off to a good start with Scotland beating Italy and Ireland, but during the match against Wales at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, he was injured and taken off the field. It was later revealed that he pulled a hamstring and was taken off the pitch as a precaution.[7]
Gray was selected for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, being the tallest on the tour. He played against Combined Country, Brumbies, Reds and Rebels, and went on to play a part in the final test against Australia, being part of a winning Lions series team.[8]
In 2023 Gray was selected in Scotland's 33 player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.[9]
Career statistics
editInternational analysis by opposition
edit| Opposition | Played | Win | Loss | Draw | Tries | Points | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .500 |
| Australia[a] | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| England | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| Fiji | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| France | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .182 |
| Georgia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Ireland | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .444 |
| Italy | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .875 |
| Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Romania | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Samoa | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| South Africa | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| Tonga | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 |
| United States | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Wales | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 |
| Career | 78 | 38 | 40 | 0 | 3 | 15 | .487 |
as of 24 September 2023[update]
- ^ Includes of one British & Irish Lions test appearance in the 2013 tour to Australia.
References
edit- ^ "Scotland second-row Richie Gray to join Sale Sharks". BBC Sport. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "Site officiel CASTRES OLYMPIQUE". Castres-olympique.com. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- ^ Lewis, Clive (24 November 2015). "Richie Gray: Scotland lock agrees deal with Toulouse". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ "Richie Gray to return to Glasgow Warriors".
- ^ "The end of the private school rugger boy? How the win over Argentina showed the changing face of Scottish rugby". Daily Record. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Rees, Paul (11 February 2011). "Six Nations 2011: Scotland's Richie Gray used Guscott flak to drive him on". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ "BBC Sport – Scotland's Richie Gray out for two months with hamstring injury". BBC. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- ^ "Lions 2013: Scotland lock Richie Gray aims to reign again as he returns to scene of the sublime with tourists". The Telegraph. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Scotland squad named for Rugby World Cup 2023". Scottish Rugby Union. 16 August 2023.
External links
edit- Richie Gray at Premiership Rugby
- Richie Gray at ESPNscrum
- Richie Gray at ItsRugby.co.uk
- Sale Sharks profile
- Magners League profile
- profile at Scottish Rugby
