Luke Wallace snapped up by Leicester Tigers

David Skippers
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Leicester Tigers have signed former Harlequins back-row stalwart Luke Wallace, who joins immediately ahead of the resumption of the season.

Wallace spent a decade at Harlequins, where he made more than 170 appearances from 2009-19 before joining Coventry for the 2019/20 Championship season.

Born in St Albans, Wallace played representative rugby and hockey as a teenager before committing to professional rugby after leaving school and joined the Harlequins senior academy, making his first professional appearance in his debut season.

In 2014, Wallace also represented an England XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Speaking about the addition of Wallace, Leicester Tigers director of rugby Geordan Murphy said: “Luke is an experienced Premiership campaigner who understands the hard work required to be consistent at this level.

“He adds a different, unique component to our back row and will challenge our group for positions, to keep it competitive.

“His attitude is brilliant, he wants to be a part of what we are building at Tigers and is a tough, hard-working player who we are looking forward to have here in Leicester.

“Alongside Cyle Brink, we have two quality additions to the back-row ranks here in Leicester.”

Wallace said: “Having competed against Tigers my whole career, I am stoked to the have opportunity to be back in the Premiership and be part a squad desperate to push ourselves back up the table.

“Geordan, Steve and the coaches have made it clear how hard we are going to work at Tigers and the values we are going to stick to.

“I can’t wait to get involved.”

The Premiership club have also signed promising, versatile back Guy Porter, with the English-born player joining from the Brumbies in Super Rugby.

Born in London, Porter began playing rugby at Rosslyn Park before moving to Australia at seven years of age.

The now 23-year-old impressed throughout his schoolboy days before being recruited by Sydney University, the club of new Leicester Tigers assistant coach Rob Taylor and fellow outside-back Harry Potter.

Porter spent five seasons at Sydney University, coached by Taylor, and featured in the club’s most recent back-to-back Shute Shield winning seasons, including captaining the club to the title in 2019.

He joined the Brumbies at the beginning of 2020, before the Super Rugby season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has previously represented the Sydney Stars and Sydney Rays in Australia’s National Rugby Championship, as well as the Waratahs U20s.

A hard-running, hard-hitting midfielder, Porter is the fifth addition to the Tigers backline stocks during the summer period.

Speaking about the addition of Porter, Leicester Tigers director of rugby Murphy said: “Guy has been making waves in Australian rugby since his schoolboy days and joins us from a successful Sydney University outfit.

“He comes highly recommended by Rob [Taylor] and, of what we have seen of him on the pitch, it is exciting to have a player of his promise join the club.

“Our conversations with Guy have been very impressive and he is an impressive young man who is intent on adding to our club and being a part of what we are building here at Tigers.

“He adds versatile depth to our backline and is a player who builds his game on hard work, which is what we are about here in Leicester.”

Porter said: “I have always wanted to play Premiership Rugby, so to do that at a club like Leicester Tigers is especially exciting.

“Coming to the northern hemisphere, I am looking forward to the physicality and different style of game which I believe I am suited to in efforts areas and that physicality.”

Porter admits he is still pinching himself at the opportunity to join a club with the legacy of Leicester’s.

“Some formidable players have helped build Leicester Tigers into an impressive club and I am excited to be a part of that,” he said.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in, getting the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of George Ford, Ben Youngs and Nemani Nadolo, and have the opportunity to learn from them.”

The 23-year-old was also quickly sold on the future of Tigers after his first conversation with Murphy and head coach Steve Borthwick.

“He is one of the world’s best coaches and I am excited to join a programme he is running,” Porter added.

“They were pretty candid about how successful they want Tigers to be and build an aspirational group at the club… they want people who are going to apply themselves and it was an easy sell for me.

“I was impressed with the vision they have and can’t wait to be a part of it.”

 

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