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.
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.
“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.
Another big name is heading to Japan's Top League.https://t.co/C4CRE6ADhK
— 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 shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments