After over two decades of dedication to the sport he loves, Harry Ellis, the golden boy of Leicestershire rugby is ready for the next chapter in his rollercoaster career. In this exclusive interview with Soar Magazine, the Tigers scrum-half shares his fight for fitness, his ambitions to become a coach and the heartache of missing out on the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Aged just 27, this candid talent, surely a future ambassador for Leicestershire sport, is ready to shine on the main stage once again…

Dean Eldredge: Harry, talk us through the last few weeks and the ongoing recovery from your knee injury…
Harry Ellis: It’s been pretty frustrating really as I’ve had to hammer away at the rehabilitation. Over the years I’ve had to keep topping up the knee, due to the injuries I’ve had and I just hope to be back as soon as possible.

DE: How frustrating has the injury been and when do you realistically think the Tigers fans will see you back at your best?
HE: I’m not sure. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve played at my best yet and I’m optimistic that I’ll keep improving, learn from the coaches and play my part in the club’s exciting future.

DE: How do you find coping with being on the sidelines and watching the lads whilst you’re injured?
HE: I don’t like watching games at all and it can be especially tough when you’re injured. But we’ve got a great squad ethic and alongside the coaches and conditioners who have been a real help, I’ve just focused on getting myself fit and playing again.

DE: What is your assessment of Tigers’ season so far?
HE: We’re doing ok. We sit quite nicely in the Guinness Premiership and we’ve shown great determination, especially in the Ospreys game to come back from so far behind. With the amount of players who go away on international duty, it has tested our younger lads, who have all done very well.

DE: What does Richard Cockerill mean to you and how does his style compare to the other coaches you have played for?
HE: He demands the best from everyone and has assembled a great staff around him including the likes of Matt O’Connor, Paul Burke and Ben Herring. He’s firm, but fair, which is what you need and as a result everyone gives their all for him.

DE: The reputation of Leicester Tigers is known throughout the World. Can you describe how it feels to represent the Tigers?
HE: It means everything. I’ve been very lucky that the club is on my doorstep. Ever since the age of six or seven I’ve wanted to play for Leicester, having grown up in Wigston. It’s the natural club for me and they’ve been very good to me.

DE: Going back to the beginning Harry, what are your earliest memories of playing rugby?
HE: Just enjoying the game, the skills that you learn and the friends that you make. I used to play for South Leicester Rugby Club, just a couple of miles away and then things got serious when the game went professional. They are great memories though.

DE: You come from a rugby family don’t you…
HE: Yes, my dad played, as did both of my brothers and my circle of friends, so it’s always been a big part of my life.

DE: Who were your childhood heroes within the game?
HE: Richard Cockerill, without a doubt! Dean Richards… he was the first person to give me a chance to play, at the age of 18 or 19, and he was really good to me. I watched him and Matt Poole and guys from that era, such as Adel Kardooni and Austin Healey, or anyone that played in my position and just tried to learn from them.

DE: Which people have had the biggest influence on your career?
HE: Probably my father, who has been very supportive, as have my whole family. I’ve also been fortunate to have worked with some very good coaches over the years. A guy called Paul Flax, who was Head of Rugby at Bushloe High School and Troy Thacker at Leicester Grammar School. They always put the hours in with the lads, when they didn’t have to. Also, Jamie Hamilton, who was a big factor in where I am today, as I vied for the number nine shirt with him and then when he retired, he continued to work with me on my development.

DE: Harry Ellis, born in Wigston, studied at Leicester Grammar and now plays for Leicester Tigers – you are a true Leicester lad. What does the city mean to you?
HE: It’s brilliant, it is my home, always has been and I’m proud of Leicester. A lot of people give the city a hard time, but I’ve got some great memories of growing up here. The diversity of the city is second to none, there is spectacular countryside within Leicestershire and I love it.

DE: After 27 appearances in an England shirt, what would you class as the highlight of your international career so far?
HE: I don’t think there is any one highlight. It is more about the feeling of playing for England. It’s a great honour and privilege to have represented my country and I hope to do so many times again. DE: How did you cope with missing out on the 2007 World Cup, especially given that you had played in every Six Nations game earlier that year? HE: I think you learn to live with the rollercoaster element to the sport. One minute you’re playing well and the next you’re not, or perhaps you’re injured, or recovering from a knock. It was very difficult to watch that World Cup Final, but that’s the nature of sport and you just have to learn from your mistakes or disappointments.

DE: Both England and Martin Johnson have come in for some heavy condemnation recently. Do you think the criticism is justified, or does the current set-up simply need time to develop?
HE: It’s a great set-up and I’ve been very lucky to be involved. No one goes out there to make mistakes deliberately and we must all remember the level of expectation on the lads. I can assure you that whatever team England put out, in the current set-up, they’ll be doing everything they can to win.

DE: You are one of eleven half-back partners that Jonny Wilkinson has had during his eleven years playing for England. Does this highlight a problem in terms of selection consistency?
HE: Injuries are just part and parcel of the game. There is a big pool of talented players in the Guinness Premiership who could play for England, especially in my position. There are perhaps seven or eight players that I believe in as scrum-halves, so that highlights the competition. I do, however, believe in persisting with a settled team for the long-term benefit of our national side.

DE: What ambitions do you have left in the game?
HE: Just to continue to enjoy the game that I love. Hopefully, I’ll go in to coaching when I finish playing, as I’m currently working on my badges and do some coaching at my old school, Leicester Grammar and with the Loughborough University Development Team. I want to learn how to become a good coach and pass on the skills that I have learnt to younger people, who are keen and hungry to develop in to top rugby players.

DE: Jeremy Guscott was recently quoted on the BBC website as saying you haven’t been the same player since your injury in 2007. Is this the kind of statement that motivates you to prove people wrong?
HE: Not at all no. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don’t listen to what people say, unless they are my coaches or rehab staff, as that’s what really matters.

DE: You have to remain level-headed in this game don’t you?
HE: Definitely, yeah. You have to have self-belief, but be humble alongside it. We want to graft, we’re all hungry to win and that ethic, which I’ve mentioned already, is what motivates us to win games and hopefully trophies.

DE: Do you have any regrets, or wrongs you’d like to right?
HE: No, not really. I’ve had my injuries over the years, but I’m very lucky to be doing something that I love, which started out as a hobby, but is now my career.

DE: Where do you see yourself in five years?
HE: Hopefully still playing rugby for Leicester Tigers and still enjoying what I do now. That sounds boring doesn’t it, but that’s what I want.

At the close of this interview, Harry Ellis asked Soar Magazine to mention the work of Matt Hampson, the former Leicester Tigers and England U-21 Prop Forward, who suffered a serious neck injury whilst representing his country. To find out more about Matt’s charity work visit www.matthampson.co.uk