Jamie Ritchie
{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player (born 1996)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Jamie Ritchie
| image = Jamie Ritchie 2021.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Ritchie representing Edinburgh in 2021
| fullname = James Thomas Ritchie
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|08|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland
| height = {{convert|1.93|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|109|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Madras College
Strathallan School
| university =
| relatives =
| position = Flanker
| currentclub = Edinburgh
| years1 = 2014–2025
| clubs1 = Edinburgh
| apps1 = 113
| points1 = 35
| years2 = 2025–
| clubs2 = Perpignan
| apps2 = 0
| points2 = 0
| repyears1 = 2013
| repteam1 = Scotland U18s
| repcaps1 = 5
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears2 = 2014–2016
| repteam2 = Scotland U20s
| repcaps2 = 18
| reppoints2 = 25
| repyears3 = 2018–
| repteam3 = Scotland
| repcaps3 = 54
| reppoints3 = 5
| clubupdate = 29 March 2024
| repupdate = 25 November 2024
}}
James Thomas Ritchie (born 16 August 1996) is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Edinburgh and the Scotland national team.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27600454 |title=Edinburgh sign 17-year-old Jamie Ritchie for first team |publisher=BBC |date=28 May 2014 |access-date=7 August 2014}}
Early life
Jamie Ritchie started his rugby career while being brought up in the city of Dundee. One of his idols is Dundee-born Andy Nicol.
Outside rugby, he was a silver medalist at the British Judo Championships in 2009, the British independent schools judo champion in 2010 and played first XI cricket at his school.{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/14/05/27/starlets-scots-promise-secures-senior-deal|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140527190036/http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/14/05/27/starlets-scots-promise-secures-senior-deal|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 May 2014|title=Starlet Scot's promise secures senior deal | Edinburgh Rugby|publisher=Edinburgh rugby|access-date=2014-05-27}}
Club career
While still a teenager, Ritchie made his first-team debut in October 2014 with an appearance from the replacements' bench in the Pro12 match against Leinster.{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby/player/jamie-ritchie|title=Edinburgh Rugby (Jamie Ritchie) - Edinburgh Rugby|website=www.edinburghrugby.org|access-date=8 August 2014|archive-date=11 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511102744/http://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby/player/jamie-ritchie|url-status=dead}} In January 2021, Ritchie signed the longest deal in Edinburgh's history, with head coach Richard 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/ritchie-signs-record-deal|title=RITCHIE SIGNS RECORD DEAL|date=14 January 2021|website=www.edinburghrugby.org|access-date=14 January 2021|archive-date=19 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519122658/https://www.edinburghrugby.org/the-clubhouse/ritchie-signs-record-deal|url-status=dead}}
On 6 February 2025, it was confirmed that Ritchie would leave Edinburgh to join French side Perpignan in the Top 14 from the 2025-26 season.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-06 |title=Edinburgh confirm Jamie Ritchie exit and his new club |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/scotlands-jamie-ritchie-signs-for-perpignan/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}}
International career
Ritchie has represented Scotland at under-16, under-18 and under-20.{{cite web |url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/latest/solomons-hails-new-edinburgh-signing-ritchie-1-3424498 |title=Solomons hails new Edinburgh signing Ritchie |newspaper=Scotsman |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=8 August 2014}} He played in the 2013 and 2014 European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship, the latter as captain. In June 2014 he played four matches for Scotland under-20 at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15182/9327774/edinburgh-sign-exciting-scotland-prospect-jamie-ritchie |title=Edinburgh sign exciting Scotland prospect Jamie Ritchie |publisher=Sky Sports |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=8 August 2014}}
Ritchie received his first call up to the senior Scotland squad by coach Gregor Townsend in October 2017
for the autumn internationals.{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41732612
|title=Scotland: Gregor Townsend calls up 10 new caps for autumn Tests
|publisher=BBC
|date=24 October 2017 |access-date=25 October 2017}} Ritchie received his first senior cap against Canada on the 9 June 2018 in a 48–10 victory.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Scotlandteam/status/1005690691152797696|title=Scottish Rugby on Twitter}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49625907|title=Scotland add Bradbury as Ritchie cover|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
Ritchie received player of the match in Scotland's match against France in the 2020 Six Nations, after getting punched by France prop Mohamed Haouas{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/fixtures-and-results/internationals/2019-20/guinness-six-nations-2020/8mar/scotland-v-france|title=Scotland beat France at BT Murrayfield for second straight win|website=Scottish Rugby Union|language=en|access-date=2020-03-15|archive-date=5 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705122234/https://www.scottishrugby.org/fixtures-and-results/internationals/2019-20/guinness-six-nations-2020/8mar/scotland-v-france|url-status=dead}} During this game Mohamed Haouas was sent off for dangerous play in the 37th minute for punching Ritchie.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51795372|title=Six Nations 2020: Red-carded Mohamed Haouas to talk to coaches - Raphael Ibanez|date=2020-03-08|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2020-03-15|language=en-gb}} He once again won a 2020 Six Nations player of the match award, this time against Wales in a 14–10 victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54725357|title=Scotland win in Wales to end 18-year wait|via=www.bbc.com}} 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 the 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/63313225|title=Scotland: Finn Russell left out of autumn squad as Jamie Ritchie named captain|via=www.bbc.com|date= 2020-10-19|access-date=2020-10-28}} In 2023 Ritchie was selected in Scotland's 33 player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.{{cite web |url=https://scottishrugby.org/scotland-squad-named-for-rugby-world-cup-2023/ |title=Scotland squad named for Rugby World Cup 2023 |publisher=Scottish Rugby Union}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
- [https://scottishrugby.org/teams/scotland-men/jamie-ritchie/ Jamie Ritchie] at Scottish Rugby Union
- [https://edinburghrugby.org/team/jamie-ritchie/ Jamie Ritchie] at Edinburgh Rugby
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{{s-before|before=Darcy Graham}}
{{s-ttl|title=Sir Willie Purves Quaich|years=2020}}
{{s-after|after=Scott Cummings}}
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{{Edinburgh Rugby squad}}
{{Scotland Squad 2019 Rugby World Cup}}
{{Scotland 2023 Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritchie, Jamie}}
Category:Scottish rugby union players
Category:People educated at Strathallan School
Category:Edinburgh Rugby players
Category:Rugby union players from Dundee
Category:Scotland international rugby union players
Category:Madras College FP players
Category:Howe of Fife RFC players
Category:People educated at Madras College