| 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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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]
Martin 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]
In 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]
On 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]
Martin has experienced knee and other injuries, and is cognisant of longevity in his body management. [26]
