Former Dingwall Academy pupil and Ross Sutherland Rugby Club youth player Jake Henry signs new contract with Edinburgh before joining English Championship side Coventry for 2024/25 season
Former Dingwall Academy pupil Jake Henry has signed a contract extension with pro outfit Edinburgh – and joined Coventry on loan for the 2024/25 season.
The 23-year-old scored on his debut for Edinburgh over in South Africa this season, becoming the 1331st player to represent the capital outfit after a torrid time with injuries.
The winger has gone on to make five appearances in the capital back-three, including a Challenge Cup round of 16 triumph against Aviron Bayonnais, and most recently in last Saturday’s match against Benetton Rugby.
He has signed a new two-year deal with Edinburgh, but will join English Championship side Coventry in a bid to play regularly after an extremely stop-start four-year spell.
A former MacPhail scholar, Henry told Edinburgh’s website: “I’m really happy to be staying with Edinburgh. Being involved at the end of this season has given me huge confidences in myself and my body after a tough start to the year.
“I’m also excited to head down to Coventry. I’ve only heard good things from the boys that have been there before so looking forward to it.”
Henry started his rugby journey in the youth set-up at Ross Sutherland, before the former Dingwall Academy pupil made his senior breakthrough at Highland.
He would go on to be named in the Scotland squad for the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations, where he featured against England and Ireland, and join the Edinburgh Rugby pro-academy. However a knee injury in training disrupted his early time at the club.
He was later aligned to the Southern Knights in then FOSROC Super6, where outstanding appearances caught the eyes of the Scotland 7s programme.
Henry entered the spotlight in the summer of 2022, when he was selected to play for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he scored a try against Tonga and a hat-trick against Malaysia.
His injury luck turned once again after the Games, however, when another knee injury sidelined the winger for over a year.
During this time, Henry developed his skills as an artist to keep his mind active through rehab, designing custom boots for himself and other rugby players, including Scotland International Adam Hastings.
Henry’s road to the Edinburgh jersey has been one requiring immense fortitude in the face of injury nightmares, ultimately earning him his eventual debut in Cape Town after four years with the club.
On Henry’s new deal, Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt added: “Jake has shown a huge amount of character to get himself into the Edinburgh side. He showed his potential in the matches away against the Stormers and Sharks, taking his try well in Cape Town under huge pressure.
“The move to Coventry is a great opportunity for him, and a chance to play at a great club in a highly competitive and physical league.”
