Scottish-qualified loosehead prop James Whitcombe joined Edinburgh from Leicester Tigers on a three-year deal ahead of the 2025/26 season. He qualifies for Scotland through his Falkirk-born grandmother.

Born in Keighley, Whitcombe comes from a strong rugby lineage. He is the son of former Leicester prop Martin Whitcombe, the grandson of Frank Whitcombe Jr, and the great-grandson of prominent rugby league players Frank Whitcombe and Thomas Cockcroft.

His rugby journey began at the age of five with Skipton RFC, and he spent time playing rugby league for Keighley Albion before focusing on union at Bradford & Bingley RFC and Woodhouse Grove School.

He joined the Leicester Tigers academy at 13, was part of their back-to-back U18 league title-winning sides, and earned England honours at U16, U18 and U19 level, including the U18s’ 2018 summer tour of South Africa. After school he gained valuable experience with Sydney University in the Shute Shield.

Whitcombe was promoted to Leicester’s development squad in July 2019 and spent 2019/20 on loan with Leicester Lions, where he was named National League 2 South Young Player of the Season.

He made his senior Tigers debut in a Challenge Cup win away to Bayonne in December 2020, followed by his Premiership debut in February 2021. He made his first Premiership start during Leicester’s 2021/22 title-winning campaign and went on to make 67 appearances for the Tigers.

He made his Edinburgh debut starting at loosehead in the opening round of the 2025/26 URC, away to Zebre Parma, and went on to start Investec Champions Cup clashes against Gloucester and Bath.

That form earned him a first call-up to Gregor Townsend’s Scotland squad for the 2026 Six Nations.