Wainwright’s Welford Road Impact: Welsh International Finds Rhythm in Leicester Tigers’ Back Row

The three Welsh forwards have converged on Welford Road at distinctly different stages of their careers.

For Aaron Wainwright, the move represents a fresh chapter despite a decorated nine-year international career encompassing 70 caps, a Grand Slam, two Six Nations titles, and two World Cup appearances. After nearly a decade with the Dragons, he has joined the growing contingent of Wales’ premier talent plying their trade in the English Premiership—a group that includes Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan, Louis Rees-Zammit, and Dafydd Jenkins at Gloucester, alongside Nicky Smith, Rhys Carre, Archie Griffin, Tomas Francis, and Christ Tshiunza.

Wainwright’s transition has been smoothed by a daily car-share with fellow back-rower Tommy Reffell and fly-half Billy Searle.

“Reff is keeping me company in the mornings, so he’s doing a good job of helping me settle in,” Wainwright said. “He introduced me to everyone; it felt a bit like the first day at school. I was nervous, but everyone has been welcoming and I feel I have settled in.”

The 29-year-old made an immediate impression on his debut, laying on a try for wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb against Saracens with a deft scoring pass.

“He moves like a back and hits like a forward,” Hamer-Webb observed. “He has an engine that just doesn’t stop—that’s part of the Leicester Tigers DNA. He also has that soft touch you saw with the assist against Saracens. I’d seen him play before, but to share the pitch and watch how he moves up close? He is phenomenal.”

Wainwright has also quickly endeared himself to the support. Following the away victory at Newcastle, he was stopped for photos by fans wearing headbands and wigs.

“One of them snuck me a packet of Welsh cakes to take home on the bus,” he recalled. “That was a nice touch.”

His ties to Newport remain strong; he recently opened a café in the city and assumed a director of coaching role at his boyhood club, Whiteheads RFC, despite the near three-hour commute from his new Leicestershire base.

The move feels like a just reward for a loyal servant who endured 97 defeats against just 33 victories and eight draws in 138 appearances for the Dragons.

Now, Leicester prepares for the Champions Cup opener away at Pau on Sunday—a stage Wainwright has never graced. He missed the Dragons’ only two campaigns in Europe’s elite competition back in 2020. One of Wales’ elite back-rowers is finally set to test himself on the continent’s biggest stage.

Source link