After a whirlwind summer, James Grayson is off to a strong start Edinburgh Rugby.
Ex Northampton The fly-half enjoyed a dream debut for his new club at the weekend, helping them open their BKT URC campaign with a 34-29 bonus point away win Ulster Rugby.
He brought assured tactical control at number 10 and also hit six shots on goal during Friday night’s remarkable triumph in Belfast.
Son of ex England international Paul Grayson, the 28-year-old has joined from Japanese club Mitsubishi Dynaboars, having previously had a lengthy spell with the Saints.
“I got injured at the start of pre-season and then I got married so it’s been a whirlwind of a summer,” he said.
“I came here a few months ago and then had a wedding, which was fun. I probably didn’t imagine the wedding would be in the middle of pre-season when we booked it a little over a year ago.”
“But the club have been brilliant in allowing me a few days off at both ends to sort everything out.
“Now that my wife has moved on, I feel like we can really sink our teeth into this next chapter. I get to wear the ring and so does she, so we’re both really happy.”
Outlining his reasons for moving to the Scottish capital, the former England U20 international said: “Firstly, I thought it was a great place to come and play rugby.
“I had the lucky opportunity to live in Tokyo for three years, and Edinburgh, as the next place on our journey, is an amazing place to live.
“When I took a closer look at the league and the club, it seemed like a really good opportunity for me playing-wise. I think there’s a lot of potential in the team.”
“It’s also special for me and my family. My great-grandmother was a very proud Scot and I know she’d be delighted to see me make this move.”
He continued: “I’ve been away for a while. After three years abroad, the time is right to return closer to home, and the opportunity to play for BKT URC was a big factor in my decision.”
“As the next step in my career, coming back to Europe and trying to fight for 10 first-choice at a brilliant club is something I’m excited about.
“It was really good to settle in, hit the ground running, get into the club and jam with everybody. I’m enjoying it.”
Reflecting on his time in Japan, Grayson said: “I loved it and played a lot more rugby than I did at Northampton.
“As a club, Mitsubishi beat some teams they had never beaten before when I was there and we had the highest finish in the league, which was amazing to be a part of.
“We lived in Fujisawa, which is a stunning place down by the coast, about 45 minutes from Tokyo.
“Walking along the beach with Mount Fuji in the background, it was just a special place to be and something we will both definitely take with us forever.
“The friendships and connections we made there was amazing. I had people from the club come to my wedding, which shows the level of friendships we made there.”
Now the Northampton-born playmaker has started a new chapter with Edinburgh and has certainly hit the ground running.
Commenting on the win over Ulster, he said: “It was really good to be on the pitch and I’m just happy to get out and play with the lads and get a good result away from home.”
Edinburgh raced into a 34-5 lead and then held on for victory amid an Ulster revival.
“It was a little awkward,” Grayson said.
“It was 60 minutes of really good stuff and a good game plan. Then Ulster got the momentum and they’re a tough team to stop when they’re in that kind of jam, so I’m just thankful we held on at the end.”
He added: “We want to play fast, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up being physical and direct sometimes. I think it’s about finding a balance.”
“We probably overplayed it in the last 15 to 20 minutes and didn’t put as much pressure as we did in the first half, so we definitely have a lot to learn, but a lot of good parts.”
Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt is clearly delighted to have Grayson in the game.
“It was great. We’re really pleased to add him to the group,” said the South African.
“He is an impressive player, someone who reads the game well and has a lot of experience.
“He played 100 Premier League games for Northampton and played with some really good players Japan also.
“He has shown good leadership within the group. The team has a lot of respect for him and he led his troops very well on Friday night.
“Not only is he a good distributor, but he also has a good shooting game. He brings real quality with the boot, both from hand and goal.”
“The three pointers he kept knocking down helped us turn the scoreboard.”
Edinburgh will now look to confirm their opening day victory when they host DHL Stormers at the Hive Stadium on Friday night.
“One thing we need to work on is the consistency of our performances week in and week out,” Everitt said.
“It has let us down in the past, where one week we were at a high level and the next we were down.
“We have to build on this win, keep our feet on the ground and move forward in a positive way.”
