Scotland international Jamie Ritchie is heading home. The dynamic back-row forward has signed a two-year deal with Glasgow Warriors, bringing his French adventure with Perpignan to an end this summer.

At 29, Ritchie is no stranger to Scottish rugby. He spent 11 seasons with Edinburgh, joining straight from school and eventually captaining the side. But after a decade-plus in the capital, he made the bold move to France last year—a "massive decision" he has openly discussed. Now, he's swapping the Top 14 for the United Rugby Championship, returning to Glasgow to bolster a Warriors squad undergoing a significant overhaul.

Glasgow is losing several key players at the end of this season, including Scotland stars Jack Dempsey, Adam Hastings, and Huw Jones. Ritchie's arrival at Scotstoun provides a much-needed injection of experience and grit. He has been a standout for Perpignan this season, even captaining the side as they battle relegation. His leadership and physicality were on full display before a leg injury—suffered during Scotland's Six Nations win over England in February—sidelined him for two months. He returned to the captain's role immediately upon recovery.

Remarkably, Ritchie's move back to Scotland comes without Glasgow needing to pay a transfer fee. A break clause in his Perpignan contract has allowed him to trigger an early exit. Beyond the rugby, the decision is deeply personal: Ritchie is keen to be closer to his young family.

He's not the only new face in the Warriors' changing room. Head coach Franco Smith has also secured South African back-row Ruwald van der Merwe and Australian utility back Bayley Kuenzle for next season. With Ritchie's leadership, pedigree, and hunger to compete at home, Glasgow's pack just got a whole lot more formidable.