Edinburgh clinch huge signing as 6ft 11in Exeter lock Carmichael arrives
Edinburgh Rugby have bolstered their second row options after towering 6ft 11in lock Rob Carmichael yesterday joined the club from Leicester Tigers.
The 20-year-old, who is eligible to play for Scotland, has signed from the Gallagher Premiership outfit initially on loan for the rest of the season, before the move becomes PERBUCS manent in the summer on a three-year deal.
Capped by England Under20s, Carmichael was born and raised in Hong Kong after his Scottish father and English/ Welsh mother emigrated to Asia in the 1990s. He came through the ranks at Sandy Bay RFC before the family returned to the United Kingdom in 2019, joining the Tigers academy.
Combining education with an academy contract at Welford Road, Carmichael played Super Rugby at University of Nottingham, where he studied Sports Science.
Carmichael has made two Premiership Cup appearances and remains eligible for Scotland by ancestry despite having represented England at youth level. he was was named in the England Under-20 squad for the 2023 under-20 Six Nations and featured in all five fixtures for the Red Roses.
“This is a massive move for me and an incredible opportunity I've been given,” Carmichael said on his switch to Edinburgh. “I’m delighted to join and I’m really glad I’ve been able to make the move to Edinburgh early on loan.
“I've only heard great things about the club. I've wanted to live in Scotland my whole life so I'm glad I'm able to make the move now. Edinburgh is an incredible city, while my parents and whole extended family are really excited that I've joined a Scottish club.”
Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt said: “We’re delighted to welcome Rob. He’s a player with great raw ability who has all the physical tools to succeed at the next level. We’ve been looking at Rob for a while given his Scotland links. He’ll be able to get his feet in the door and hit the ground running ahead of joining on a long-term deal this summer.”