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Message: <blockquote data-quote="psychic duck" data-source="post: 466687" data-attributes="member: 48703"><p><strong>Richie Gray will join Sale for the 2012/13 season</strong></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'arial'"><img src="http://www.espnscrum.com/PICTURES/CMS/17200/17242.2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></span></div> <div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'">Sale have signed Scotland lock Richie Gray for the 2012/13 season, Gray who despite being around for a while is still only 22, is widely regarded as one of Scotland's best forwards and is expected to get even better in the future. This signing by Sale is a blow for Scottish rugby as Gray was one of the players they most wanted to keep playing for one of Scotland's professional teams, Gray is also another player who has left Scotland to play rugby in what is becoming a growing list (Dan Parks, Kelly Brown, Jim Hamilton, Richie Vernon and Max Evans have all quit playing in Scotland recently).</span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'">Sale supremo Steve Diamond says "He has been courted by three Premiership sides and several French clubs, but he has brought into out vision at Sale Sharks. Sale have had a great relationship with Scottish rugby players down the years, from Bryan Redpath and Jason White through to Alasdair Dickinson, Richie Vernon and Fraser McKenzie."</span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'">Richie Gray said "I was impressed with the efforts Glasgow and Scottish rugby made to keep me in Glasgow and it's without doubt the toughest decision I've ever had to make. This isn't about money, I've always wanted to test myself in England".</span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'">This is a big coup for Sale, and Gray is probably Diamond's biggest signing (literally as well) from his time at Sale. Sale have had a difficult two or three years after a period where there was a mass of quality players leaving, and who were replaced by inadequate replacements who have also hence been cleared out as well last season. Steve Diamond has made it his mission to strengthen the Sale pack, and although the backs could do with some reinforcements, Sale have a good back row and decent second row which is now being strengthened by Gray, the front row however is not so impressive and the signing of Buckley has been as stupid as it sounded at the time.</span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'">As for Scottish rugby, they have emphasised they gave Gray a "substantial and competitive offer" to stay in Scotland, but players leaving Scotland is become a worrying trend for Glasgow and Edinburgh. Question: do you think that a Scottish team playing outside of Scotland would beat one with players just from Glasgow and Edinburgh?</span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong><span style="font-family: 'arial'"></span></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong></strong></div> <div style="text-align: center"><strong></strong></div></blockquote><p></p>

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