Leicester Tigers war dead honoured on new monument

A bronze tiger crests the monument dedicated to players who died while serving their country

Leicester Tigers players who lost their lives in conflict have been commemorated on a new war memorial at the club's Welford Road ground.

The 20ft (six metre) high monument bearing the names of 54 rugby players was unveiled on Armistice Day.

The work is called "When we were Tigers" and is topped by a bronze sculpted Tiger.

The Leicester Tigers Foundation installed it as a symbol of the courage of players who sacrificed their lives.

The commemorated players came from all parts of the UK, served in 23 different branches of the Armed Forces and fought across 15 different countries.

They include five British Lions, eight England and two Ireland Rugby Union internationals, as well as 10 Barbarians.

The memorial's plaques have QR codes which, when scanned on mobile phones, take people to a film about the men

The monument was unveiled by former Rugby Football Union (RFU) president Peter Wheeler who himself played for Tigers, England and the Barbarians.

It was blessed by the Dean of Leicester Cathedral David Monteith.

Plaques on the monument carry QR codes which take people to a film about those players named.

The unveiling was attended by representatives from the British Lions, the RFU, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and several military representatives and Tigers fans.

'Quite humbling'

Former Tigers player Rory Underwood, who served in the RAF, attended the unveiling and said: "It's quite humbling and the realisation, when you start reading names out and the dates and the ages, really comes home. It brought a massive lump to my throat."

Monument designer Harvey Gardiner spent six years researching the former players who died and putting together fact files about them.

He described the work as "a special piece of ground-breaking interactive art".

"It links sport together with education through its technology," he said.