The Leicester verdict on Ollie Chessum becoming an England regular
Leicester have given their verdict on the emergence last month of Ollie Chessum as a regular starter at second row in the England team. The 22-year-old had just one previous start coming into 2023, taking the place of a concussed Maro Itoje for the tour-clinching series win over Australia in Sydney last July.
Injury then affected his Autumn Nations Series selection chances, Eddie Jones newly capping the likes of David Ribbans and Alex Coles at a time when Chessum signalled his return by playing a Premiership Rugby Cup match for Leicester at Saracens on the same day that England drew with the All Blacks.
That Test pecking order was soon rejigged after Steve Borthwick, Chessum’s Gallagher Premiership title-winning coach at Leicester, took over the England job in December from the dismissed Jones.
Chessum had played just eight times for Leicester coming into the 2021/22 season but he then flourished under Borthwick, his emergence culminating in him making his Test debut and playing a major part in his club’s league title win last term.
Having played 32 minutes in the 2022 Six Nations when twice coming off the bench, he is now a pivotal member of the England pack under Borthwick in their latest championship campaign. He started in all three of the February matches and is developing an encouraging partnership with Itoje after Jonny Hill, a favourite player of Jones, was excluded from the squad.
Interim Leicester boss Richard Wigglesworth, who himself will begin working with England full-time in the lead-up to the upcoming Rugby World Cup, was a keen viewer from afar of Chessum this past month. He was delighted with how the youngster grabbed his opportunity to impress as a Six Nations starter with the countdown on towards the start of the finals in France in September. “It is really hard for someone to jump from getting in the club team to being an international starter and having nothing in between,” said Wigglesworth.
“He [Chessum] has developed like all the players at Leicester Tigers, that younger group, they just have this desire to get better and when you have that desire, good things happen. Yes, he gets himself in the England squad, then he gets onto the bench and then when he does start he is ready to play really well. He has worked for it so we are delighted for him but it is all down to his hard work, what he has done day in and day out to get himself into that position.”
Youngsters can often go into their shells after entering the daunting Test environment. What type of personality does Cheesum have that has helped to thrive with England? “He is quite a jovial guy,” explained Wigglesworth. “He is the butt of many jokes which he doesn’t mind. Doesn’t mind standing in front of a group and having the mick taken out of him and taking the mick out of others. He is a good character to have around the squad.”
Chessusm is part of the young Leicester brigade featuring Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet that is making waves with England, while another youngster, Cameron Henderson, is knocking on the door with Scotland. Their collective fast-track international exposure is inspiring other young Leicester guns to make their own mark.
“It’s why you are dying for your players to play internationally because you see all the work and you are so happy for them but then what it breeds in the team and in the squad is like, ‘Right, I have seen what Leicester Tigers did to maximise that player and he got rewarded on the back of it.’
“That is all you want, players to maximise their ability. You only get one career and these guys are young men and they are trying to maximise every minute of it… we have got a young group of players who drive each other to be better and that is why this club for a long time in the future is going to be in a good spot because if you can keep these guys together they are just going to drive each other on to great things.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments