James Grayson's move to Edinburgh Rugby marked a thrilling opening to his tenure, showcasing his skills in a memorable 34-29 victory against Ulster in their first United Rugby Championship match of the season. The English fly-half, known for his strategic play, made an immediate impact with his tactical prowess and reliable boot, contributing six successful kicks.
Grayson, previously with Northampton and Japan's Mitsubishi Dynaboars, has experienced a whirlwind summer filled with personal milestones, including marriage, alongside his pre-season preparations. "I was injured at the start of pre-season, and then I got married, so it was a whole whirlwind of a summer," he commented on his recent life events.
"I got up here a couple of months ago and then had a wedding, which was fun. I probably didn’t envisage the wedding being in the middle of pre-season when we booked it just over a year ago. But the club were brilliant in allowing me a couple of days off at either end to get everything sorted. Now my wife has moved up, I feel like we can really dig our teeth into this next chapter. I’ve got a ring to wear and so has she, so we are both really happy."
Grayson's decision to join Edinburgh was influenced not only by the professional opportunities but also by personal heritage, acknowledging his Scottish roots through his great granny. "It’s also special for my family and me. My great granny was a very proud Scottish lady, and I know she would have been delighted to see me make this move," he explained.
Reflecting on his impressive debut, Grayson shared his satisfaction with the game's outcome. "It was really good to be out on the field and I’m just happy I could come out and play with the boys and get a good result away from home," he said. Despite leading comfortably at one point, Edinburgh faced a tense finish as Ulster mounted a robust comeback. Grayson noted, "It was a bit helter-skelter...We probably overplayed a little bit in the last 15 to 20 minutes and didn’t apply as much pressure as we did in the first half."
Edinburgh's head coach Sean Everitt expressed his pleasure in having Grayson on the team, praising his leadership and game-reading abilities. "He is an impressive player, someone who reads the game well, and he comes with a lot of experience," Everitt remarked.
"He played 100 games in the Prem for Northampton and played with some really good players in Japan as well. He has shown good leadership within the group. The team has got a lot of respect for him, and he marshalled his troops really well on Friday night. Not only is he a good distributor, but he has also got a good kicking game as well. He brings real quality with the boot, both from hand and at goal. The three points he kept on knocking over helped us turn the scoreboard over."
Moving forward, Coach Everitt emphasized the need for consistency in their performances to build on this win. "One thing we need to work on is the consistency of our performances from week to week," he stated, acknowledging the fluctuations in past games' intensity and results.
With this strong start, Grayson and Edinburgh are looking forward to their next match against the Stormers at the Hive Stadium as they aim to cement their place as contenders in the league.
