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Leicester Tigers confirm five players have agreed new contracts
It’s been a busy morning at Welford Road with Leicester Tigers confirming that five players have signed new contracts. The Tigers have announced that George Worth, Sam Aspland-Robinson, Tommy Reffell, Jordan Olowofela and Ben White have all agreed new deals to stay with the club.
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The news represents a welcome boost for Leicester after a turbulent week.
Last week, Leicester Chief Executive Andrea Pinchen confirmed that England stars Manu Tuilagi and Kyle Eastmond, along with Telusa Veainu, Greg Bateman and Noel Reid, were all leaving the club after failing to agree new cut-price contracts.
But supporters have today received some much-welcome good news with the announcement of five contract extensions.
Worth has proven to be a hugely valuable member of the Tigers squad, and is equal with second-rower and fellow Tigers Academy graduate Harry Wells for most appearances (21) so far in the 2019/20 season.
The versatile back has made 57 senior appearances for the Tigers since making his debut as a 19-year-old in 2016.
Born in Peterborough, Worth attended Wymondham College in Norfolk before joining the Tigers Academy and went on to represent England during the 2016 Under-20s Six Nations.
Tigers Director of Rugby Geordan Murphy said the club were delighted to secure Worth to a new contract.
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“George is a reliable, hard-working player who team-mates want to have in their side,” Murphy said.
“He is a player we want representing our club and, equally so, a person we want as an ambassador for Leicester Tigers.
“There is no fuss with George, he gets stuck into whatever challenge is put in front of him and gets the job done.
“He’s in his fifth season of senior rugby at 23 years of age and that says it all really, given his leadership qualities and commitment to this club.”
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The club has agreed a new deal with George Worth.
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— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) July 6, 2020
Aspland-Robinson, who joined Tigers in the summer of 2018, has made 14 appearances since his club debut in January 2019.
Capable of playing anywhere in the outside-backs, the versatile and reliable Aspland-Robinson extends his current deal which he re-signed in January of this year.
“He’s hard-working, tough, committed to his team-mates and passionate about Leicester Tiger,” Murphy said.
“In a short space of time in Leicester, with limited opportunities, he has earned two contract extensions here. That alone should say enough about what we think of Sam and that we want him at our club.”
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Flanker Reffell has recommitted his future to Tigers over returning to his home nation following interest from Welsh regions.
Since his debut towards the end of 2017, the openside has made 24 senior appearances for Tigers.
“He’s a tough and courageous young man who comes in every day with the intention to leave a better player than he arrived,” Murphy said.
“Tommy understands what it takes and, even at 21 years of age, is a leader in our group.
“There is no question that the appeal to return to Wales was there for him, with clubs across the Welsh regions chasing him, but we presented to Tommy what we believe is a big future at Tigers and he believes in what we are building and chose to recommit.”
Lock Olowofela has made 39 appearances since making his senior Leicester debut in 2017.
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 6, 2020
The 22-year-old, capable of playing at centre, full-back or on the wing, has scored six senior tries.
“Jordan has come on leaps and bounds in recent seasons and still has plenty of growth in his game,” Murphy continued.
“It’s exciting to think about what is still to come from him and we are pleased it will be with us at Leicester Tigers. Jordan understands Tigers, having come through the club, and is committed to what we are building.
“With this new deal, he has got an opportunity to go on with it now and become a consistent performer in the senior side here in Leicester.”
Scrum-half White has made 54 senior appearances for the club since October 2015, when he became the youngest player in the club’s Premiership history aged just 17 years and 151 days.
After establishing himself as a senior player during the 2018/19 season, White’s season ended with a run-out at Twickenham as part of an England XV against the Barbarians.
“We are confident Ben will continue to progress in the way he has over recent seasons and enjoy a long, successful career in green, red and white,” Murphy added.
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The club has agreed a new deal with scrum-half Ben White.
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— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) July 6, 2020
“At 22, he has made more than 50 senior appearances and almost half of those in the starting side. His future is bright in Leicester and what is most exciting is that he still has plenty of growth in his game.
“Whitey and the young men he has risen through the ranks with at Leicester like George Worth, Jordan Olowefela and Tommy Reffell are the future and the onus is now on them to take the next step and become consistent members of the team, week to week.”
The struggling Tigers sat 11th in the Premiership table when the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, having lost eight of their 13 league outings up to that point.
Comments on RugbyPass
The side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
4 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
4 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
4 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
4 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
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