Another Scotland international moves to France as Glasgow Warriors departee returns to South Africa

Scotland lock Jonny Gray will play in France next season after signing for Top 14 finalists Bordeaux-Begles.

The 30-year-old has been without a club departing Exeter Chiefs in April and has not played in 15 months since dislocating his knee cap in the 2023 Champions Cup semi-final loss to La Rochelle. Gray, who has been capped 77 times, spent eight years at Glasgow Warriors before his move to Exeter in 2020 where he won a Champions Cup and Premiership double in his first full season.

Bordeaux finished third in the Top 14 table last season before losing 59-3 in the final to Toulouse. Gray is one of two signings announced by the French club alongside Bayonne prop Matis Perchaud. He joins international team-mates Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse) and Ben White (Toulon) in moving to the French top flight.

Scotland lock Jonny Gray has signed for French club Bordeaux-Begles. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Meanwhile, released Glasgow Warriors lock Sintu Manjezi has signed for Vodacom Bulls, the team Glasgow defeated to lift the URC title last month. The 29-year-old South African returns to Loftus Versfield after spending the past two seasons at Scotstoun, where he made 23 appearances, scoring one try.

On his return to Bulls, where he played between 2020 and 2021, Manjezi said: "Coming back home was definitely an easy decision. I have lots of good memories from my first time at the club and now I look forward to working hard to create more.

"Being abroad was good, getting to experience different cultures, people and a way of life. Glasgow is a wonderful club and I enjoyed being challenged and learning in a different environment. The identity there was speed of play and mauling which I've added to my game."