Capital gains: Edinburgh sign promising young duo McCaig and White

Centre McCaig, 22, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandfather, joins the senior squad on a two-year deal, while former Scotland U20 international and MacPhail Scholarship recipient White, 20, links up with the capital side’s pro-academy on a one-year deal.

McCaig is a product of the Chiefs’ successful academy set-up. Having initially started playing rugby as a six-year-old at Sidmouth RFC, the gifted young back worked his way up through the age groups before eventually coming onto the radar of the Chiefs through their Developing Player Programme (DPP). Club coaches liked what they saw of McCaig, who was previously educated at Perrott Hill and then Sherborne School.

Using the club’s strong links with the University of Exeter, McCaig has since continued his role with Chiefs with that of studying for a degree in Liberal Arts. In 2022, he was part of the highly successful University of Exeter First XV, who lifted the BUCS title with victory over Durham at Worcester’s Sixways Stadium.

McCaig has been on loan at English Championship side Cornish Pirates this current campaign, scoring three tries in 19 matches. The centre also made his Chiefs debut this season, coming off the bench against Cornish Pirates in Round 5 of the Premiership Cup.

On joining Edinburgh Rugby, Charlie McCaig said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to move to Scotland’s capital and contribute what I can to the team.

“Edinburgh has always felt like a home away from home, especially with my family living nearby in Fife. The club has a clear identity, and the city’s passion for rugby makes it an exciting place to start afresh and make my mark. I’m looking forward to meeting the team, contributing on and off the pitch, and helping push for success and silverware.

“After speaking with Sean [Everitt], it’s clear that our rugby philosophies are closely aligned, which gives me real confidence in what I can offer the team.

“The opportunity to pull on the jersey and run out in front of a full home crowd at Hive Stadium is a huge source of motivation for me. It’s what will push me through the offseason and into preseason, as I work towards making a strong impact from the very start of the campaign.”

Loosehead prop White was five years old when he first picked up a rugby ball at local club Biggar.

He then moved to his high school’s club Peebles before returning to Biggar, and is currently representing his hometown club, Melrose, who he joins from this summer.

At the start of 2024, White was one of three up-and-coming Scottish players awarded the coveted MacPhail Scholarship. He spent five months immersed in South Africa’s renowned rugby culture at the high-performance training facility at Stellenbosch University.

White has represented Scotland at both U17 and U18 level, and made appearances during both the 2022 and 2023 Under-18 Six Nations Festival. He went on to represent Scotland U20 last summer during their World Rugby U20 Trophy win.

On joining the club’s pro-academy, White said: “I’m very grateful for the opportunity Edinburgh have given me. I’m excited to get going and build good connections with the boys and with the coaches but more importantly really push on with my development as a player to see how far I can go. Stepping into a pro-environment will be a real step up but it’s where I want to be.”

He continued: “I want to focus on being a more dominant individual on the field and use all the tools and expertise that Edinburgh rugby can provide to further improve my core skills such as scrummaging.”

Edinburgh Rugby Head Coach Sean Everitt expressed his delight at the double signing.

He said: “We are thrilled to welcome both Charlie and Ben to Edinburgh Rugby. Both players have had impressive journeys in rugby so far, demonstrating dedication and a real commitment to their development.

“Charlie [McCaig] will be a fine addition to our senior squad, bringing a strong skill set and a hunger to succeed, while Ben’s inclusion in our pro-academy will add further strength and depth for the future. We look forward to welcoming both players to the club this summer.”