George has played for Saracens since 2009 after training in the Saracens Academy from the age of 14.[9] He had a short loan spell at
Southend 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.[10]
2009–14
In November 2009 George made his professional club debut for the Saracens first team against
Northampton Saints in the
Anglo-Welsh Cup.[11] 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 to
Schalk Brits who he described as "one of the most talented blokes I’ve ever met in my life".[6] 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 defeated
Leicester Tigers to win their first ever league title.[12]
George started the 2015 Premiership Final, and was the centre of added pressure and attention due to his promotion to the England squad.[6] George responded well and starred during the match against
Bath, running in one try from over 30-metres out, and passing the ball to
Chris Wyles for his try.[15]
On 14 May 2016 George was a second half replacement in the final of the
European Rugby Champions Cup as Saracens beat
Racing 92 to become champions of Europe for the first time.[16] Later that month they defeated
Exeter Chiefs to complete their first ever domestic and European double.[17]
In the 2017-18 season George won his fourth Premiership title with Saracens as they were victorious against Exeter in the final.[19]
2018–22
George started for the team as they repeated their domestic and European double achievement of 2015-2016. They beat
Leinster in the
European Rugby Champions Cup final at
St James' Park to become European champions for the third time in four years.[20] He then scored two tries in the Premiership final as Saracens defeated
Exeter Chiefs to retain their league title.[21]
In July 2020, George signed a new three-year contract with Saracens. However this deal ensured that he would play in the
RFU Championship the following season, after his club were relegated following breach of salary cap.[22]
George scored a try in the Championship play-off final as Saracens defeated
Ealing Trailfinders to gain promotion and an immediate return to the top flight.[23]
2022–present
George helped Saracens win the Premiership title in 2023, his sixth, starting in the final as Saracens defeated
Sale Sharks.[24]
On 29 May 2015 George was promoted to England's extended 50-man training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[30] He had replaced veteran
Dylan Hartley in the squad after Hartley was suspended for
head-butting George in a Saracens vs Northampton Saints fixture.[31] On 22 August 2015 George made his Test debut replacing
Tom Youngs in a
World Cup warm Up fixture against
France[32][33] and five days later he was included in coach
Stuart Lancaster's 31-man squad for the
2015 Rugby World Cup.[33][34] His only appearance during the tournament came in their final pool fixture against
Uruguay as the hosts failed to reach the knockout phase.[6]
In January 2016, George was announced in new coach
Eddie Jones' first senior England squad for the
2016 Six Nations Championship[35] and on 6 February 2016 made his first tournament appearance as a replacement for captain Hartley in their opening round 15–9 victory against
Scotland.[36] England went on to complete the
Grand Slam.[37] Later that year George scored his first international try in the final test of their
summer tour of Australia to complete a series
whitewash.[38] England retained their title during the
2017 Six Nations Championship,[39] missing out on a consecutive grand slam with defeat in the final game away to
Ireland which also brought an end to a record equalling eighteen successive
Test victories.[39]
George was included in the squad for the
2019 Rugby World Cup[40] and scored a try in their opening pool fixture against
Tonga.[41] He started all three knockout games against
Australia in the quarter-final,[42] victory over
New Zealand in the semi-final[43] and defeat to
South Africa in the final as England finished runners up.[44]
On 31 October 2020 George scored a try on his 50th cap as England defeated
Italy to win the
2020 Six Nations Championship.[45] The following month saw him become the first
hooker to score a
hat-trick for the England men's team in their opening fixture of the
Autumn Nations Cup against
Georgia.[46] He also started in the final of that competition as England defeated
France in extra-time to win the tournament.[47]
He will captain the England men's team in the Six Nations in 2024.
British and Irish Lions
George was selected as a member of the
2017 British & Irish Lions squad.[48] George featured in six matches on the tour including against the
Māori All Blacks.[49] The opening Test against
New 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.[50] George played the full 80 minutes in the second test, setting up
Conor Murray's winning try.[51] He started the draw in the final match as the series ended level.[52]