George played for local teamHertford RFC in his youth,[4] until he was asked to join the Saracens Academy.
George was educated atHaileybury and Imperial Service College and captained the Haileybury 1st XV for two years, in Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, while also being a regular for the 1st XV in Y11.[5]
George has played for Saracens since 2009 after training in the Saracens Academy from the age of 14.[6] He had a short loan spell atSouthend Saxons in the lower tiers of English rugby in 2008–09, however quickly caught the attention of Bobby Walsh in the Saracens management team to return the following season.[7]
In November 2009 George made his professional club debut for the Saracens first team againstNorthampton Saints in theAnglo-Welsh Cup.[8] However this was the only appearance he was to make that season. He continued his development playing for the Saracens Storm in the A league.
The 2010–11 season was George's first season for the Saracens first team. He played most of the season as an understudy toSchalk Brits who he described as "one of the most talented blokes I’ve ever met in my life".[5] In the season he made 20 appearances and scored two tries, helping Saracens to secure a home semi-final in the Premiership. He was an unused substitute in the final as Saracens defeatedLeicester Tigers to win their first ever league title.[9]
George started the 2015 Premiership Final, and was the centre of added pressure and attention due to his promotion to the England squad.[5] George responded well and starred during the match againstBath, running in one try from over 30-metres out, and passing the ball toChris Wyles for his try.[12]
On 14 May 2016 George was a second-half replacement in the2016 European Rugby Champions Cup final as Saracens beatRacing 92 to become champions of Europe for the first time.[13] Later that month they defeatedExeter Chiefs to complete their first ever domestic and European double.[14]
In the 2016–17 season George started for the side that defeatedASM Clermont Auvergne in the2017 European Rugby Champions Cup final atMurrayfield to retain their European title.[15] The following season saw George win his fourth league title with Saracens as they were victorious against Exeter in the Premiership final.[16]
George started for the team as they repeated their domestic and European double achievement of 2015–2016. They beatLeinster in the2019 European Rugby Champions Cup final atSt James' Park to become European champions for the third time in four years.[17] He then scored two tries in the Premiership final as Saracens defeatedExeter Chiefs to retain their league title.[18]
In July 2020, George signed a new three-year contract with Saracens. However this deal ensured that he would play in theRFU Championship the following season, after his club were relegated following breach of salary cap.[19]
In their first campaign back in the top flight George started the 2022 Premiership final as Saracens were defeated by Leicester to finish runners up.[21] The following season saw George win his sixth Premiership title starting in the 2023 final as Saracens beatSale Sharks to become league champions again.[22]
On 29 May 2015 George was promoted to England's extended 50-man training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[28] He had replaced veteranDylan Hartley in the squad after Hartley was suspended forhead-butting George in a Saracens vs Northampton Saints fixture.[29] On 22 August 2015 George made his Test debut replacingTom Youngs in aWorld Cup warm Up fixture againstFrance.[30][31] Five days after making his debut he was included in coachStuart Lancaster's 31-man squad for the2015 Rugby World Cup.[31][32] His only appearance during the tournament came in their final pool fixture againstUruguay as the hosts failed to reach the knockout phase.[5]
In January 2016, George was announced in new coachEddie Jones' first senior England squad for the2016 Six Nations Championship[33] and on 6 February 2016 made his first tournament appearance as a replacement for captain Hartley in their opening round 15–9 victory againstScotland.[34] England went on to complete theGrand Slam.[35] Later that year George scored his first international try in the final test of theirsummer tour of Australia to complete a serieswhitewash.[36] England retained their title during the2017 Six Nations Championship,[37] missing out on a consecutive grand slam with defeat in the final game away toIreland which also brought an end to a record equalling eighteen successiveTest victories.[37]
George was included in the squad for the2019 Rugby World Cup and scored a try in their opening pool fixture againstTonga.[38][39] He started all three knockout games againstAustralia in the quarter-final,[40] victory overNew Zealand in the semi-final[41] and defeat toSouth Africa in thefinal as England finished runners up.[42]
On 31 October 2020 George scored a try on his 50th cap as England defeatedItaly to win the2020 Six Nations Championship.[43] The following month saw him become the firsthooker to score ahat-trick for the England men's team in their opening fixture of theAutumn Nations Cup againstGeorgia.[44] He also started in the final of that competition as England defeatedFrance in extra-time to win the tournament.[45]
George scored tries against Italy and Ireland during the2023 Six Nations Championship.[46][47] Later that year he was selected for the2023 Rugby World Cup and played every minute of their quarter-final victory overFiji and semi-final elimination against champions South Africa.[48][49] George also featured in their last fixture of the tournament as England defeatedArgentina to finish third and claim a bronze medal.[50]
Ahead of the2024 Six Nations, George was made England captain, replacingOwen Farrell.[51] In November 2024, he earned his 97th cap for England, captaining the side and scoring two tries in a 59–14 win overJapan during their final fixture of the2024 Autumn Nations Series. This equalled the all-time record for England caps by a hooker, pulling level with former teammateDylan Hartley.[52][53]
In January 2025, although he was selected for the senior training squad, he relinquished the England captaincy to Saracens teammateMaro Itoje for the2025 Six Nations.[54] In February 2025, he was named on the bench for the second round fixture of the tournament againstFrance. This was the first test match he had been involved in since relinquishing the captaincy.[55] He came on as a substitute as England won 26–25 in the final minute of the game.[56] In the process, he became the most capped England hooker of all time overtaking Dylan Hartley.[57][58]
George was selected as a member of the2017 British & Irish Lions squad.[59] George featured in six matches on the tour including against theMāori All Blacks.[60] The opening Test againstNew Zealand was his first international start having previously played all seventeen of his England caps coming off the bench, a world record for most tests without a start.[61] George played the full 80 minutes in the second test, setting upConor Murray's winning try.[62] He started the draw in the final match as the series ended level.[63]
