Ollie Chessum responds to England captaincy speculation

Ollie Chessum has admitted that he enjoys taking on leadership responsibilities on the pitch, following suggestions that he could be a future successor to current England captain Maro Itoje. Chessum, 26, is currently the captain of Leicester, the leaders of the Premiership, and was a member of the British and Irish Lions squad that toured Australia last year. He has established himself as a vital member of the England pack, proving his versatility by playing both at blindside flanker and in the second row.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Chessum remarked, "While it's nice that people can tickle your ego a little bit and give you that compliment and I do really enjoy the leadership side of the game, it's certainly not one for now." He added that he believes captaincy is a role that finds the right person rather than something one should pursue, noting that he is currently learning from Itoje and the senior leadership group. "Who knows what's down the line in years to come? Of course, it would be a pretty special thing to do, I'm sure," he said.

Maro Itoje, 32, took over the England captaincy in January 2025, succeeding his Saracens colleague Jamie George. This role had previously been held by Owen Farrell from 2019 until he stepped away from Test rugby in late 2023 and relocated to France, rendering him ineligible for England selection. Regarding recent tension with teammates during club fixtures, including a half-time incident involving Northampton's Henry Pollock and a confrontation with Bristol's Ellis Genge, Chessum insisted there was no ongoing issue.

"It's not difficult at all [to put all that behind you]," Chessum stated, highlighting that both players are his close friends within the national camp.