Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell have become a standout back-row trio for Leicester Tigers this season, starting all three Premiership games despite never having played together before. Their combined efforts have contributed to wins over Newcastle and Gloucester, and a narrow loss to Saracens. Wainwright and Reffell operate as flankers with Cracknell at number eight, blending physicality, defensive strength, and tactical awareness.
Wainwright praised their chemistry, saying they’ve 'complemented each other well' and enjoyed 'getting stuck in'. Reffell highlighted the duo’s intelligence and timing, noting they ‘know when to carry’. The trio brings varied experience: Wainwright, a 29-year-old with 70 Welsh caps, a Grand Slam, and two Six Nations titles, joined Leicester after nearly a decade with the Dragons.
He’s part of a growing wave of Welsh talent in the Premiership, alongside Gatland’s squad members like Jac Morgan and Louis Rees-Zammit. Wainwright has settled in well, aided by a lift-share with Reffell and Billy Searle, and has already impressed teammates and fans alike—earning a packet of Welsh cakes from supporters after the Newcastle win. Beyond rugby, he runs a café in Newport and coaches at his boyhood club, Whiteheads RFC.
With Leicester preparing for their Champions Cup opener in Pau, Wainwright is poised to make his debut in Europe’s elite club competition, having missed the Dragons’ two Champions Cup appearances in 2020.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing