Edinburgh Rugby's two new signings: Scottish heritage, rugby league background, Welsh mentor

Edinburgh have strengthened their front-row options for next season by signing two new props who will link up with the club in the summer.

Both are Scottish-qualified through grandparents and are likely to come on to Gregor Townsend’s radar should they impress in their new surroundings.

James Whitcombe, a loosehead, has agreed to move from Leicester Tigers on a three-year contract while Rhys Litterick is joining from Cardiff on a two-year deal.

James Whitcombe is joining Edinburgh from Leicester Tigers. | Getty Images

Whitcombe, 24, is a former England under-20 international and said he was looking forward to a new challenge with Edinburgh after five seasons in Leicester’s first team.

“It’s a fresh opportunity for me – a chance to challenge myself in a new environment, both on and off the pitch,” said the prop who was born in Keighley, Yorkshire.

“The chance to test myself in a new league, against different styles of rugby and international opposition, was a big draw. The URC is an exciting competition and I felt that Edinburgh was the right place for me to continue developing and push myself further.

“I want to help the club win trophies. That’s the goal.”

Whitcombe, who is Scottish-qualified through his Falkirk-born grandmother, played rugby league in his youth and has a strong lineage in both codes. His father, Martin Whitcombe, was an England B union international who played as a prop for Leicester, Bedford, Sale and Leeds Tykes in the 1980s and 1990s.

His grandfather, Frank Whitcombe Jr, was also a prop who turned out for Bradford RFC, Keighley and the Army. Edinburgh’s new signing is also the great-grandson of prominent rugby league players Frank Whitcombe and Thomas Cockcroft.

Whitcombe himself began with Skipton RFC, then played rugby league for Keighley Albion before focusing on union with Bradford & Bingley RFC and Woodhouse Grove School, before joining the Leicester Tigers academy at 13. Following school, he travelled to Australia and played for Sydney University Colts in the Shute Shield before returning to Leicester for whom he has made 70 competitive appearances.

Rhys Litterick is leaving Cardiff to join Edinburgh Rugby. | Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency

Litterick, meanwhile, has long been linked with a Scotland call-up. The 26-year-old, who qualifies through his Glasgow-born grandfather, has featured regularly for Cardiff this season, making 18 appearances, including seven starts.

“I’m really looking forward to making the move to Edinburgh this summer,” he said. “It’s a huge club full of quality players who pride themselves on their set piece and physicality, which is something I want to be a part of and learn from. As a tighthead, I take a lot of pride in my set piece and working hard around the pitch.

“I want to keep improving as a player and learning as much as I can from the coaches and the boys around me. There’s a great setup in Edinburgh and I’m keen to take full advantage of that. Hopefully, I can contribute as much as I can to push for silverware.”

Litterick joined Cardiff from Harlequins ahead of the 2023-24 season, having been picked up by the English club while playing for Worthing, bypassing the traditional academy route. He was mentored by former Wales tighthead Adam Jones during his time at Quins.

Edinburgh already have tightheads Paul Hill, Javan Sebastian, D’Arcy Rae and Angus Williams on their books although Sebastian is out of contract at the end of the season. Their loosehead options include Pierre Schoeman, Boan Venter and Robin Hislop, with the latter out of contract in the summer.