McRae makes Pirates move

By Mark Stevens
15/4/20

James McRae will leave the Exeter Chiefs at the end of his current contract and will join the Cornish Pirates.

The 24-year-old, like Chiefs team-mate Josh Caulfield earlier this week, has agreed a two-year deal with the RFU Championship side.

McRae, a product of the Chiefs Academy link with that of the University of Exeter, has spent the past two years on dual-registered terms with the Pirates, featuring 33 times for the Cornish club, scoring four tries in the process.

Equally, he has spent time back at Sandy Park, featuring mainly in the A League and Premiership Rugby 7s, but also in the Premiership Rugby Cup, where he featured twice this season in the games against Bath and Leicester Tigers.

The Liverpool-born forward started his career as a youngster at Colchester Rugby Club, before moved onto schooling at Eton where he was part of the London Irish Academy between the ages of 15-18.

At Exeter University, he was part of their highly successful BUCS Championship winning side, where upon he did enough to earn himself an academy contract with the Chiefs.

Keen to ensure he developed his game further, McRae was sent west to the Pirates, where his on-field displays have certainly caught the eye and done enough to earn him this latest contract.

Welcoming McRae on board, Pirates’ joint Head Coach, Alan Paver, said: “This is another great signing to help maintain our continuity. In his quiet efficient way, James has made quite an impression during his two years here at the Pirates.

“Intelligent and quick to learn, his consistent level of high performance was particularly outstanding last season. He has fitted fin so well, but we expect to still see more from him over the next couple of years.”