After his stay of execution from the RFU last Tuesday, Steve Borthwick was back on the beat this weekend.
The England boss was at Kingsholm on Friday night for Gloucester’s win over Sale and then at Welford Road on Saturday – for what must have been the highlight of the PREM weekend – to see a Leicester masterclass and George Martin providing a timely reminder of his quality. Martin is back fit and when he’s fit he’s hugely physical and uncompromising.
The Leicester lock, who led his side to a 41-17 demolition of Northampton, is exactly what England need for their next challenge – the daunting Nations Championship opener with South Africa in Johannesburg on July 4. Martin hasn’t had it easy in the last year and Saturday’s East Midlands hammering of his team’s bitter rivals was his first start and only third game since February 2025.
That was when he last played an international. Since then, a combination of knee and shoulder injuries have kept the big-hitting, Saracens-bound lock on the sidelines. He has been a huge miss for club and country. As Borthwick looks for ways he can turn England’s fortunes around, Martin offers one.
As one well-placed English rugby source put it to Daily Mail Sport at Welford Road on Saturday: ‘Sometimes you just need a proper hard f***er to go around and hit people.’
That, not to demean his skill level, is exactly what Martin brings. He is 6ft 6in and 20 stone and uses all of his natural size. At 24, Martin may not have yet reached his peak, but he is highly rated by Borthwick, who would have welcomed his return to Leicester’s starting XV this weekend.
Lock George Martin made his return to the Leicester starting team on Saturday – great news for the TIgers and England
England’s next match is against South Africa, against whom Martin has previous for excelling, having done so in the 2023 World Cup semi-final defeat
Throughout Martin’s time on the sidelines he has remained part of England camps despite having no chance of playing. He is one of 25 players on elite England contracts. He is a vital cog in Borthwick’s wheel.
Martin was substituted after 49 minutes against Northampton – his time on the field was briefly interrupted by being temporarily replaced – as he works his way back to 100 per cent fitness.
Prior to starting against the Saints, Martin had made appearances from the bench against Newcastle and Saracens, the team he will join this summer, much to the Tigers disappointment. Having come through their system, Leicester desperately wanted him to stay but a fresh start after his injuries played a part in his decision to move on.
In the hammering of Northampton, Martin was exceptional alongside his regal England and Leicester lock colleague Ollie Chessum. ‘We’ve got the real George Martin back,’ said Chessum post-match. ‘I can probably count on one hand the number of times me and George have been able to start together over the last three or four years. It’s fantastic to see him back.
‘I don’t know if enough has been said about how hard George has worked. At Christmas, you could see he was struggling. He’d been out for almost a year. He’s unbelievable in the training environment. He’s been fantastic and it was even better to see him starting.’
Given how long he has been absent, it is understandable that Borthwick may not want to rush Martin back into Test duty. But equally, should he continue to return to full fitness and deliver the sort of monstrous display he showed at the weekend, it will be hard to ignore him. Chessum and Martin helped smash Saints to smithereens in the contact area and at the line-out. He carried his monstrous frame around the field with aplomb.
Few English forwards can match Martin’s strength and power. It is also important to note Martin has previous for excelling against South Africa, having done so in the 2023 World Cup semi-final defeat. The Springboks set the standard for physicality. To stand a chance against Rassie Erasmus’ men, England have to match them there. Their chances of doing so improve with Martin in the side.
The Springboks set the standard for physicality. To stand a chance against Rassie Erasumus’ men, England have to match them there. Their chances improve with Martin in the side
Throughout Martin’s time on the sidelines he has remained part of England camps despite having no chance of playing
His potential return in the second row alongside captain Maro Itoje would also allow Chessum to continue on the blindside flank – the position in which he excelled in England’s last game when they were beaten by France in Paris.
Chessum himself has been in truly magnificent form this season and with Itoje showing signs of springing back to life with Saracens, Borthwick will be happy with his forward stocks.
Martin’s first priority, however, will be Leicester. His length of absence means he should be fit for the title run-in and on the evidence of their Northampton destruction, he could help Geoff Parling’s Tigers compete for the title in his last season at the club. So long as he stays fit, he will also be back in the England squad this summer, looking to add to his 21 caps.
For Martin, Borthwick and the national side, it can’t come soon enough.
