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'I definitely see him a lot more in that England jersey': What the Leicester dressing room thinks of new Test cap George Martin

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Leicester back row Hanro Liebenberg has hailed the impact teenager George Martin has been making at Leicester since he returned to the club following his England Test level debut last month. The 19-year-old was capped by Eddie Jones in the England loss to Ireland in Dublin on March 20.

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Martin returned to the Leicester ranks with a bench appearance in the March 28 Gallagher Premiership win over Newcastle – just his seventh-ever game for his club in the league. He then followed it with a dominant start in the Challenge Cup round of 16 success versus Connacht, the blindside making 43 metres off a dozen carries and putting in a chart-topping 24 tackles.

Then in the quarter-final win over Falcons, he made a team chart-topping 16 tackles along with a starting pack high of eleven metres off nine carries. Liebenberg reclaimed the No6 jersey for last weekend’s Gallagher Premiership defeat to Northampton, switching in from the No8 berth he occupied in the European quarter-final success over Newcastle where he got to see at close quarters the growing value that Martin and his fellow rookie, blindside Tommy Reffell.

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Beauden Barrett on Eddie Jones and his rugby knowledge

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Beauden Barrett on Eddie Jones and his rugby knowledge

Asked which young players have most caught the eye in the recent Leicester revival, Liebenberg said: “I would definitely say George Martin and Tommy Reffell, especially because they are back rows. Two quality players and they are still only scratching the surface. They have got so much potential in them and I can’t wait to see them more out in the field.

“For me, George is just a brilliant ball carrier, solid on defence. That is why he has been called up to the England camp as well. He only got a few minutes in his first game but I definitely see him a lot more in that England jersey.”

It was summer 2019 when Liebenberg first arrived in the doors at Welford Road from the Bulls. Similar to Leicester, his old team in Pretoria has been enduring a slump following past glories. Two years later the Bulls are now back winning trophies under Jake White and the same could soon be said for Leicester now that their new boss Steve Borthwick has them poised just 180 minutes away from a potential European trophy, starting with Friday’s semi-final at home to Ulster.

“They [Bulls] recently got in a new coach as well, recruited a few players so they are definitely building something quite similar to us here. I guess there is a lot of clubs that go through these phases, the ups and the downs, and it’s just how quickly you can get from those downs and get back on top again.

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“Nothing has changed at all (for me at Leicester). It’s still probably one of my best decisions to come here. These last few months confirmed the point why I came here, just the way we go about the way we are training, the way the guys are starting to believe in each other, the way we are playing. I still think there is a lot more in us but I’m so excited for what the rest of the season and next season holds. The guys that we have and the management that we have we can really go and show something.

“It [attitude] has changed dramatically. We spoke about it after the game last weekend against Saints (an 18-23 defeat). Let’s say nine months ago we would sit back in the changing room after a loss and not really be disappointed or we felt a bit sorry for ourselves.

“Now we have got that belief and we know there is much more left in us, that that is not our standard, that we left a few opportunities go the last few weekends. We just know there is so much more in us as a team,” he said, adding that he has his own priority in the bigger Leicester picture.

“That is one of my key work-ons, to get the ball in my hands. Sometimes I struggle with it just the way the game goes, just the way we play against certain teams, but that is definitely one of my work-ons. Overall the management is just so professional in what they do. They are always trying to bring out the best in the players and see what works best for us to go into a game and what gives us confidence.”

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J
JPM 47 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 49 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

11 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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