Leicester Tigers confirm departing players

Leicester Tigers can confirm the members of the playing squad departing the club when their contracts end at the end of June 2021.

As already announced during the season, Tomás Lavanini (Clermont Auvergne), Luan de Bruin (Edinburgh) and Johnny McPhillips (Carcassonne) will leave the club after agreeing deals elsewhere for the 2021/22 season.

As confirmed earlier this month, the club and Zack Henry agreed an early release for the fly-half from his current contract to join French club Pau.

Front-rowers Ryan Bower and Darryl Marfo, and back-rowers Jordan Coghlan and Sam Lewis are among the forwards who will leave at the end of June.

Among the backs, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla and Ben White will also depart.

Development Squad members Ollie Ashworth, Osman Dimen, Henri Lavin and Kit Smith will also leave Tigers this summer.

Six members of the senior squad departed Tigers during the 2020/21 season after agreeing early releases with the club. Those players were Blake Enever, Facundo Gigena, Jake Kerr, Shalva Mamukashvili, Jordan Taufua and Luke Wallace. Tom Hardwick also left in March of this year.

Leicester Tigers have also said farewell to long-serving matchday doctor, Martin Newey, who has retired from his role within the medical team after 20 years on the touchline for the club.

Speaking about the Class of 2021, Leicester Tigers Head Coach Steve Borthwick said: “First and foremost, I want to thank each individual for their contribution to Leicester Tigers.

“I am grateful to all of those players, coaches and staff who have contributed to what we are building at this club and thank them for their efforts and support in the early stages of the journey we are on at Tigers.

“As well as thanking them, on behalf of everybody involved at this club, I wish them well in what comes next in their careers.”

Tigers players not involved in international squads, who remain on contract with the club beyond June 30, are now on their off-season break ahead of a return to the Oval Park training base in mid-July. 

They will be joined for the start of the pre-season programme by several new faces, including those already confirmed and, according to Borthwick, some yet to be announced.

Tigers have already confirmed the signings of Freddie Burns, Eli Snyman, Marco Van Staden and Francois Van Wyk ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, while also announcing several new deals with current members of the Leicester squad. 

“The work to re-shape this squad is an ongoing job,” said Borthwick.

“As we continue to build on this journey as a club, we are continually targeting the right players and people for Leicester Tigers.

“We have some very exciting new players joining us next season, some of whom we have already announced and others that the club will confirm in the comings weeks.”

The club will also welcome into the senior squad a group of players who have graduated from the Tigers Academy programme.