Scotland star to bid Warriors farewell on SA tour

NEWS: Veteran Scotland international Richie Gray will end off his time with Glasgow Warriors on their upcoming trip to South Africa before joining his new Japanese club.

The 35-year-old Gray will play for the Japanese side Verblitz next season, the club announced on Tuesday.

Warriors head to South Africa next for a double-header against the Sharks and then the Stormers before the United Rugby Championship takes a break for the international autumn Tests.

Glasgow’s next home game after that isn’t until Friday November 29 when they take on Scarlets but, with Gray’s contract at his new club starting on December 1, the 35-year-old isn’t expected to be around to take part in that one.

Alex Craig will soon be on his way to Glasgow as a direct replacement and could play against his current side.

Head coach Franco Smith said Gray might finish off his season in South Africa.

“Richie is still going to go to South Africa with us so he is not out of the picture yet.

“We don’t want to do the farewells too early. He actually knew the last game we played here against Benetton that it was likely to be his last game.

“His whole family was there and they had one last walk around the pitch afterward.

“It was something discussed and done before. But it was also Zander Fagerson‘s 150th game, so we didn’t want to take too much emotion into the changing room.

“Richie is a level-headed guy. He will know it would have been an opportunity to play one more time here, but we have planned from the start to prepare him best to be eligible still for Scotland in the autumn Tests.

“He doesn’t play this week so we can get him ready for South Africa and hopefully he can roll out two good performances for us down there.”

Gray has been capped 79 times for his country and featured on the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2013.

He will play under former All Blacks head coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster at Verblitz, who finished seventh in the 12-team Japan Rugby League One table last season.

Gray leaves Glasgow Warriors after his second stint with the URC winners.

He has also played for Sale Sharks, Castres and Toulouse.

Verblitz, who are based in the central Japanese city of Nagoya, have former All Black Aaron Smith and South Africa’s double World Cup-winner Pieter-Steph du Toit in their squad.

The new Japanese season starts on December 21.

*Additional source @AFP