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Tig Blog

Genuine reward for an unsung hero

The Tig was fit to burst with pride after seeing Harry Wells among the five Tigers in an England shirt last weekend.

This is not to down-play the presence or performance of Ellis Genge (who was awesome – again), Joe Heyes, Freddie Steward and another debutant Dan Kelly in the team that put 70 points on Canada, but this blog is a long-time fan of Wells as the latest in a line of ‘honest graft’ in the heart of the Tigers team.

The terminology should not diminish the specialist skills he brings to his game either, but more reflect the way Wells has performed his role in a manner similar to fellow Tig favourites Louis Deacon and Matt Smith.

They are all obviously very good individual players or they would not have achieved the levels they did in the game, but as team men you could want for nothing more.

They all worked so the team around them performed better and all three epitomise the term ‘Tigers’ and everything for which the club stands.

Wellsy’s route to an England cap has been a long and winding one. It has taken in the Tigers Academy and a World Under-20s gold medal, spells in Championship rugby and a gradual development as a player through to establishing himself as a ‘go-to’ in the Leicester pack and now – soak it in – international status.

He elevation to the England squad was warmly acknowledged – and not just in Tigers country – ahead of that first cap last weekend and, from what we known of Harry, you would imagine that no one cherishes the call-up more. His team-mates and staff at the club will be genuinely made up for him too.

His job is often not a glamorous one, but the message sent out by Eddie Jones in his selection is that there is a reward for hard work, consistency, honesty and continual development as well as headline-grabbing individual performances.

The Mullet has landed!