Meet the Wales back-row trio starring for Leicester
How Wales forwards Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell have been key to Leicester Tigers' good start to the season.
Key points
- Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell have started all three of Leicester's Premiership matches this season.
- Wainwright joined Leicester from Dragons and is set for his Champions Cup debut away at Pau on Sunday.
- Wales head coach Steve Tandy will name his Nations Championship squad on 20 October.
Wales back-rowers Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell have started all three of Leicester's Premiership matches this season, helping the Tigers to wins over Newcastle and Gloucester and a narrow defeat to Saracens. The trio had never played together before this campaign, with Wainwright and Reffell at flanker and Cracknell at number eight.
Wainwright, 29, joined Leicester after nine years at Dragons, while Cracknell arrived from London Irish in 2022 and Reffell came through the Leicester academy, making his senior debut at 17.
Wainwright settles in at Leicester
Wainwright said he was nervous on his first day but has been made to feel welcome. "I think we've complemented each other well and gone about our business, so it's been enjoyable to get stuck in," he told the Scrum V podcast. He shares a lift to training with Reffell and fly-half Billy Searle.
Wainwright set up a try for Wales wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb on his debut against Saracens. "He moves like a back and hits like a forward," said Hamer-Webb. Wainwright has opened a cafe in Newport and taken a director of coaching role at his boyhood club Whiteheads RFC.
I think we've complemented each other well and gone about our business, so it's been enjoyable to get stuck in
— Aaron Wainwright
Cracknell and Reffell eye Wales recall
Cracknell, born in Leeds with a Welsh grandfather, was first named in a Wales squad in 2017 but had to wait until November 2025 for his debut, aged 31, against Argentina. "It was such a long journey," he said. Reffell, 27, was left out of two Wales squads in the 2025-26 season before returning for the summer series.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy will announce his Nations Championship squad on 20 October. Wainwright and Gloucester flanker Morgan are expected to be certainties, while Reffell and Cracknell face stiff competition. Leicester begin their Champions Cup campaign away at Pau on Sunday.
