Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell: Wales back-row trio starring for Leicester in the Prem

Wainwright, Cracknell and Reffell. Not an accountancy firm, even if it sounds like one, but the trio of Welsh back-rowers whose numbers are stacking up at Leicester this season.

To give them their full names, Aaron Wainwright, Olly Cracknell and Tommy Reffell have starred in Tigers' encouraging start to the Prem campaign.

The trio had never played together before but have started all three of Leicester's league games, with victories against Newcastle and Gloucester, and a narrow defeat to Saracens.

Wainwright and Reffell have been employed as flankers with Cracknell at number eight.

"I think we've complemented each other well and gone and out gone about our business, so it's been enjoyable to get stuck in," Wainwright told the Scrum V podcast.

They form a well-rounded trio with Wainwright and Cracknell providing the ball-carrying grunt and defensive power, and Reffell proving the master poacher.

"Both Crackers and Waino are physical, dynamic players, but their knowledge of the game is also excellent, being at the right place at the right time," said Reffell.

"They know when to carry, so seeing them do that in the Premiership has been great."

The three players have arrived at Welford Road at contrasting times during their careers.

Wainwright is the new kid on the block despite, having played 70 internationals in a nine-year Wales career that includes a Grand Slam title and two Six Nations triumphs. He has also played at two World Cups.

Wainwright moved to Leicester after almost a decade at Dragons to join a growing influx of Wales' top players in England.

Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have joined Gloucester, with Louis Rees-Zammit, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Nicky Smith, Rhys Carre, Archie Griffin, Tomas Francis and Christ Tshiunza among those also playing in the Prem.

Wainwright is in a lift-share with Reffell and fly-half Billy Searle.

"Reff is keeping keeping me company in the morning, so he's doing a good job of helping me settle in," said Wainwright.

"He has helped introduce me to everyone and it felt a bit like it was a first day at school.

"I was nervous but everyone's been welcoming and I feel I have settled in."

Wainwright made an instant impression with his team-mates on his debut after setting up Wales wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb with a try-scoring pass against Saracens.

"He moves like a back and hits like a forward," said Hamer-Webb.

"He has this engine on him that just does not stop and that's part of the Leicester Tigers DNA.

"He's also got that soft touch that you saw when he assisted me against Saracens with that great pass.

"I have seen him play before but to be on the same pitch as him and see how he moves, he is phenomenal."

Wainwright has also become a firm fans' favourite, as indicated by an incident after the away victory at Newcastle.

"I saw some of the fans and there's a few that had the headbands and wigs on and I had a photo," said Wainwright.

"One of them just snuck me a packet of Welsh cakes to take home on the bus. That was a nice touch."

The 29-year-old still has a fondness for his home city having opened a cafe in Newport.

He has also taken on a director of coaching role at his boyhood club Whiteheads RFC, despite living in a Leicestershire village almost three hours away.

Wainwright deserved his move after being such a loyal servant , playing in a Dragons side that was not used to winning. There were 33 victories, 97 defeats and eight draws in his 138 matches.

Leicester are preparing for the start of the Champions Cup matches away in Pau on Sunday, with Wainwright having never played in the top-tier competition.

He missed the only two Champions Cup games that Dragons played while he was at Rodney Parade, which came back in 2020.

Now, one of Wales' elite back rowers is finally set to grace Europe's elite tournament.

Cracknell recalls first cap as he hopes for Wales recall

Wainwright and flanker Morgan are currently certainties for Steve Tandy's Wales Nations Championship squad to be announced on 20 October, with the pair likely to fill two of the three starting spots.

Reffell and Cracknell are playing well enough to be included but there is stiff competition. Both Leicester players have experienced the disappointment this year of being left out of Wales squads.

Five out of the six starting back-rowers in the Leicester and Gloucester league match last Friday were Welsh, with Morgan and Freddie Thomas part of the Cherry and Whites trio.

Tandy can also call on Cardiff trio Alex Mann, James Botham and Taine Basham, with veteran Taulupe Faletau close to a return from injury.

Throw in Scarlets duo Taine Plumtree and Josh Macleod and Exeter's Kane James and you see the wealth of options available.

Cracknell featured in the 2026 Six Nations but was not included in the summer squad.

While he is hoping for an international recall, Cracknell will never forget his first cap, earned eight years after originally being named in a Wales squad.

Warren Gatland called up the forward - born in Leeds with a Welsh grandfather - for the 2017 Six Nations but he was not given his debut.

Cracknell left Ospreys for London Irish in 2021 and their demise led to a move to Leicester the following summer.

After impressing for Tigers, he was recalled by Tandy, who was his first Ospreys coach.

Cracknell was 31 when he made his debut as a replacement in the 52-28 defeat by Argentina in November 2025.

"It was such a long journey," said Cracknell. "I wasn't born in Wales, but I signed up for the Exiles programme when I was 16.

"I was always proud of that side and I moved to north Wales when I was 19.

"I played for Wales Under-20s and went to the World Cup in New Zealand.

"I was involved in the Six Nations squad in 2017 but did not play.

"When it came back around with Tandy, who gave me my first professional contract, it was a full circle moment and probably my proudest achievement.

"There was a time where I didn't think I'd get another rugby contract, so to get back and have that first game was an experience I never thought I'd have."

One-club stalwart Reffell starts season in style

While Wainwright and Cracknell both joined Leicester after starting their careers elsewhere, Reffell is a one-club man. He joined the Welford Road academy aged 15 and made his senior debut at 17.

He is a Leicester stalwart who is regarded as one of the league's best foraging flankers, and has started the season in excellent fashion.

Reffell was player of the match in the Newcastle victory, and enjoyed a battle royale with Morgan last weekend in the duel of Wales' premier openside flankers.

So much so, Wales and British and Irish Lions legend Sam Warburton could not separate them in commentary, saying the Welsh starting back-row should be Morgan, Reffell and Wainwright.

Tandy left Reffell out of two Wales squads in the 2025-26 season and did not even include him when Morgan was ruled out through injury.

Reffell, 27, returned for the summer series and made an appearance from the replacements' bench against South Africa in the 43-0 defeat - but his experience ensures he takes nothing for granted.

"As a professional rugby player, you never want to accept those decisions," said the flanker from Pencoed, who captained Leicester in last season's Prem Cup final win against Exeter.

"You always want to keep pushing yourself to get better. All you can control is yourself and what you do. There's no point complaining and worrying about it.

"It's about getting yourself in the right space of mind and place to continue banging on the door and hopefully get your shot to get back in there."

Whether there are one, two or three Leicester back-rowers in Tandy's autumn squad remains to be seen - but Tigers fans will simply be looking for more of the same this season.