Ollie Chessum

Chessum represents a modern form of forward leadership: physically imposing but highly mobile, technically dependable and willing to carry responsibility early in his career. His appointment as Leicester captain reflected both what he had already achieved and the standards the club believed he could define for its next era.

Ollie Chessum’s path was less direct than his rapid senior rise suggests. He stepped away from Leicester’s development programme as a teenager, rebuilt his relationship with rugby through local clubs and Nottingham, and returned to Tigers ready for professional responsibility. He helped Leicester win the 2022 Premiership, debuted for England that year and played throughout the 2023 World Cup bronze-medal campaign. Serious ankle and shoulder injuries interrupted his progress, but he recovered to join the 2025 Lions, appear in all three Tests and start the series-clinching second Test. Leicester then appointed him club captain, placing the next era of one of English rugby’s most demanding institutions in his hands.