George Frederick Martin (born 18 June 2001) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the England national team.[1][2]
Full name | George Frederick Martin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 18 June 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Nottingham, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 124 kg (273 lb; 19 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Rawlins Academy Brooksby Melton College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
editMartin was born in Nottingham, and grew up mostly in Loughborough. His father worked as an accountant.[3] He attended Rawlins Academy in Quorn, Leicestershire where he was selected for England's under-16 rugby union team.[4] He then attended Brooksby Melton College where he was selected for England's under-18 side.[5] He scored a try against France under-18 during their 2018 summer tour of South Africa[6] and in April 2019 captained at the under-18 Six Nations Festival.[7] Martin was part of Leicester Tigers two successive under 18 league titles.[8][9]
Club career
editIn July 2019 Martin signed his first professional contract for Leicester Tigers.[10] On 21 September 2019 Martin made his first team debut for Leicester in a Premiership Rugby Cup fixture against Worcester Warriors.[11] He spent a period of time during the 2019-20 season on loan at Leicester Lions. On 7 July 2020 he signed a new contract with Leicester.[12]
Martin was named as BT Sport's man of the match for Leicester's win against Newcastle Falcons in the 2020-21 European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-finals,[13] and then again after the opening game of the 2021-22 Premiership Rugby season, a 34-19 victory over Exeter Chiefs.[14] He ended the season playing in the final as a replacement and making the penultimate carry before Freddie Burns' 80th minute drop goal which won the match.[15]
On 28 September 2022 Martin extended his contract at Leicester.[16]
International career
editOn 1 January 2021 Martin was selected for England under-20s squad for the 2021 U20 Six Nations,[17] then on 22 January 2021 he was named in Eddie Jones' "Shadow squad" for the senior 2021 Six Nations Championship.[18][19] He was named as a "finisher" for the England match against Wales,[20][21] but was not used.[22]
On 20 March 2021 he made his England debut against Ireland, coming on as a replacement for Billy Vunipola in the 64th minute in a 32-18 defeat.[23][24]
On 5 August 2023 Martin started his first international, a Rugby World Cup warm up match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium. On 7 August 2023, Martin was named in England's squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[25]
Injuries and body management
editMartin has experienced knee and other injuries, and is cognisant of longevity in his body management.[26]
References
edit- ^ "George Martin profile". ESPN Scrum. ESPN. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "George Martin Leicester Tigers profile". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ https://www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-union/article/george-martin-in-leicester-academy-we-didnt-lose-its-in-us-young-boys-to-win-mhbgrdkwg
- ^ "England U16 on form in victory over Wales". NextGenXV. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "BMC RUGBY STAR CALLED UP TO THE ENGLAND UNDER 18S RUGBY SQUAD". Brooksby Melton College. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Lawton, Andrew (11 August 2018). "England defeated by France in U18 International series opener". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Skipper Martin makes it two from two with U18s". Leicester Tigers. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Jones, Paul (14 February 2019). "Seven Leicester Tigers academy players target a second Finals Day success when they meet Gloucester". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Jones, Paul (20 February 2019). "Leicester Tigers cubs are learning the tough lessons of Premiership rugby - Tom Youngs". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Brooksby Melton College Students Sign Professional Contracts with Leicester Tigers". Skills & Education Group. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Match report: Tigers young guns come up short at Worcester". Leicester Tigers. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "YOUNG PROSPECTS COMMIT TO LEICESTER TIGERS". Premiership Rugby. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Leicester Tigers player ratings: Harry Potter 'magical', George Martin a machine, Heyes shines". Leicester Mercury. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Leicester Tigers player ratings from Exeter win: 'Commanding'". Leicester Mercury. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Premiership final: Leicester Tigers 15-12 Saracens - Freddie Burns drop-goal clinches title". BBC Sport. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
- ^ "Leicester Tigers: Freddie Steward, George Martin and Jack van Poortvliet sign new deals". BBC Sport. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Sherrard, Gary (1 January 2021). "Three Tigers named in England Under-20s". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Cameron, Ian (22 January 2021). "Eddie Jones names 28-man England Six Nations squad". Rugby Pass. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Six Nations: Odogwu and Randall called up by England". BBC Sport. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "ENGLAND TEAM TO FACE WALES IN SIX NATIONS ANNOUNCED". England Rugby. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
- ^ "Six Nations 2021: Wales v England - Jamie George returns to starting X". BBC Sport. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Wales 40-24 England". ESPN Scrum. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Morrow, Michael (20 March 2021). "Ireland 32-18 England: Hosts impress as they stun dismal England despite Bundee Aki red card". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ Calvert, Lee (20 March 2021). "Ireland 32-18 England: Six Nations – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "England World Cup squad: Henry Slade & Alex Dombrandt miss out, Joe Marchant & Theo Dan in". BBC Sport. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/05/17/george-martin-enforcer-rehab-injury-leicester-tigers/
External links
edit- George Martin at ESPNscrum
- George Martin at ItsRugby.co.uk