England lose George Martin to shoulder surgery

England and Leicester Tigers lock George Martin has been sidelined following shoulder surgery and is unlikely to feature in the first half of the new PREM season.

The 24-year-old has not played since sustaining the injury during England’s Six Nations victory over France in February.

Despite his injury layoff, Martin was among 25 players awarded an Enhanced Elite Player Squad (EPS) contract by England this summer, underlining his value to the national setup. However, his recovery timeline remains uncertain.

Leicester Tigers’ new head coach Geoff Parling has stated that “as with any nerve injuries, the timeframe on George’s availability is slightly unknown,” and anticipates that Martin will not return before the new year.

England head coach Steve Borthwick acknowledged Martin’s professionalism and commitment, expressing confidence in his recovery when the time is right.

“George is a fantastic player and a valued member of the England squad.

"He approaches everything he does with professionalism and commitment, and there’s no doubt he’s bringing that same focus to his rehab. We look forward to seeing him back when the time is right.”