Martin Corry

The following season saw Corry establish himself as Tigers first choice number 8, starting 29 times in the season; Corry made amends for his red card the previous season as he scored a crucial try in a 1st v 2nd match against Northampton, the 22–15 win effectively sealed the first of Leicester's four successive Premiership Rugby titles.

Martin Edward Corry MBE (born 12 October 1973) is a retired English rugby union player who represented and captained and Leicester Tigers in a career spanning 14 seasons.

By April 1994 Corry had been called up for England under 21s and was described in the press as a "flanker of rare talent", in October 1994 Corry was named as England under 21's captain.

Corry captained the under 21s to a victory over New Zealand Youth, and also captained Northumbria University to a British Universities championship.

Following Newcastle's failure to gain promotion in the 1994–95 Courage League National Division Two season Corry was one of a number of leading players who moved on, in his case joining Bristol.

In 1995 Corry joined Bristol.

Corry played 64 times for between 1997 and 2007, played 7 tests for the British & Irish Lions on tours in 2001 & 2005, and played 290 times for Leicester between 1997 and 2009.

Earlier in his career he played top division rugby for Newcastle Gosforth and Bristol.

A versatile player his principal positions were number eight and blindside flanker, he also played lock more as his career progressed.

In February 1997 he was named as part of a 62 man long-list for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, one of three uncapped players at that stage, but was not in the final squad, instead he made his England debut in May 1997 against Argentina.

Corry moved to Leicester Tigers in the summer of 1997, despite having one year remaining on his Bristol contract, which prompted legal threats from Bristol.

Corry made his Leicester debut on 30 August 1997 against Gloucester at Welford Road, and despite being sent off in a 15 all draw against Northampton Saints played 27 times across number 8, flanker and lock in his first season.

He was a Premiership Rugby champion six times (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007 & 2009) and European Champion twice in 2001 and 2002.

Born in Birmingham, Corry was educated at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School, and first played rugby union for Tunbridge Wells minis.

Corry attended the University of Northumbria, impressing for their rugby team, before being named as a reserve for a Courage League game for Newcastle Gosforth against Bath.

After selection for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Corry returned to Leicester on 30 October 1999 scoring a try against Bedford Blues in a 61–12 win.

Corry was then an ever present as Tigers lost only 1 game in 16 to retain the Premiership Rugby title, he also captained the side for the first time in a European game against Leinster.

2000–01 season saw Corry again be a regular member of Leicester pack, switching between flanker and number 8 with Will Johnson, he played 30 times as Tigers retained the Premiership Rugby title for a third straight year.

This season Tigers also progressed in Europe; Corry started as Leicester beat Swansea in the quarter-finals and Gloucester in semis, Corry started the 2001 Heineken Cup Final at blindside flanker as Leicester beat Stade Français 34–30.

In 2001 Corry was called up to the British and Irish Lions side after the tour had started, due to injuries within the squad, and immediately impressed Graham Henry, the Lions coach.

He started the first test in the absence of the injured Neil Back, and replaced the injured Richard Hill in the second before starting the third test in the absence of Hill.

He played in the delayed Six Nations decider in Dublin in October 2001 for England.

Corry missed much of the first half of the 2001–02 season with injury and international call ups but returned in December to be an ever-present until Leicester secured their fourth straight Premiership Rugby title on 13 April 2002 against Newcastle Falcons at Welford Road.

Corry started the 2002 Heineken Cup Final where Leicester beat Munster, they were the first side to retain the European trophy.

Corry confirmed his selection for Clive Woodward's Rugby World Cup squad in a highly competitive back row area with a strong late run in England's warm-up matches: he performed well in the 43–9 defeat of Wales at the Millennium Stadium in late Summer of 2003 and then again in the September defeat of France at Twickenham.

He was part of England's 2003 World Cup-winning squad, chosen ahead of teammate Graham Rowntree.

During the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Corry flew home from Australia for the birth of his first child, daughter Eve.

He rejoined the squad days later, and played in England's victory over Uruguay.

He was an unused replacement in the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final.

Leicester reached the semi-finals of the 2004-05 Heineken Cup, but Corry missed the semi-final defeat by Toulouse due to suspension following a red card against Saracens.

In 2005, Corry was named as England Captain for the Six Nations match against Italy and Scotland, in the absence of Jason Robinson.

However, in May 2005 he was named as both the player of the 2004-05 Premiership Rugby season at the end of year awards, and the players' player of the season.

Despite the individual accolades Leicester were to come up short losing the Premiership final to Wasps.

In the summer Corry was selected for his second Lions tour, this time to New Zealand, and was made vice-captain for the first test.

He went on to captain the team from the 2nd minute onwards as Brian O'Driscoll was injured in a notorious spear tackle incident.

However, he was dropped for the final two tests in favour of Ryan Jones.

Corry was named as Leicester's new club captain in August 2005, taking over after the retirement of Martin Johnson.

Following his selection on the 2005 Lions tour Corry returned ahead of schedule to captain the club in the first match of the season, playing 48 minutes in a 32–0 win over Northampton.

He was again selected as England's captain for the 2005 autumn internationals and 2006 Six Nations tournament.

Corry started the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final, and was an unused substitute as England won the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final.