Scotland prop Rae joins Edinburgh Rugby

Rae, 28, makes the move from French Top14 side Montpellier with immediate effect, ready for a potential first outing for the capital against former club Bath this Friday night – the final match of the Scottish Building Society Pre-season Series.

The tighthead, capped by Scotland in the 2019 Six Nations against Ireland, adds to the club’s scrummaging stocks alongside Angus Williams and Luan de Bruin, with fellow tightheads WP Nel and Javan Sebastian away on national team duty.

On his move to the capital, Rae said: “I’m really happy to have signed with Edinburgh Rugby. It’s great to be back in Scotland and I’m excited for a fresh challenge, with the new URC campaign just around the corner.

“The league has developed significantly since leaving Glasgow and with the addition of four massive South African sides to the competition, it’s definitely a new and improved Championship that I want to test myself in.

“Edinburgh has a really strong squad and we have plenty of competition across the pack. I’m really eager to prove myself to both the club and the Edinburgh supporters in the coming months.

“To go against Bath this Friday night would be a brilliant experience. It’s my old club where I’ve made a lot of brilliant memories and connections – rugby is a small world and you couldn’t write that Bath would potentially be my first match in Edinburgh colours!”

Senior Coach Sean Everitt added: “We’re pleased to welcome D’Arcy [Rae] to the club. He brings plenty of experience to front-row group and he’ll be able to hit the ground running straight away as we prepare for Bath on Friday night and then our BKT United Rugby Championship opener away to Dragons.

“D’Arcy is a Scotland internationalist who has played a lot of rugby at the top level for both Glasgow and Bath in recent seasons. We’re really pleased with our front-row options on both sides of the scrum and that competition will only help improve our pack.”

Rae’s rugby roots can be found in the west of Scotland, having been part of an Ayr side that won the Premiership, Scottish Cup, and the Bill McLaren Shield in the same season, with Rae playing a part just aged 17.

A capped Scotland internationalist, the prop represented his country through the age grades, playing 18 times at under-20 level, having featured in two World Rugby U20 Championships and two Six Nations Under-20 Championships.

The tighthead’s professional career took flight at Glasgow Warriors – where Rae enjoyed an eight-year spell – a period in which the prop had loan spells at Benetton Treviso and London Scottish amidst 85 appearances for the Scotstoun outfit.

Rae left his boyhood club in 2021, heading to the English Premiership with Bath, where he made 46 appearances in two seasons at The Rec.

Hive Stadium will be a familiar setting for the Irvine born prop, having played for Bath against Edinburgh in the 2021/22 EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16, with the capital side coming out on top.

The prop left Bath at the end of the 2022/23 season, moving to Montpellier on a short-term deal, where he featured recently against French heavyweights La Rochelle and Toulouse.