England lock Ollie Chessum has acknowledged speculation linking him to the national team captaincy but insists he is focused on his current role within the senior leadership group. The 26-year-old Leicester Tigers captain, who has won 38 caps since his debut in February 2022 and toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2025, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that captaincy "is not really something you go after" but would be "pretty special" further down the line.
Current skipper Maro Itoje, 32, was appointed in January 2025, succeeding Jamie George. Owen Farrell held the role from 2019 before stepping back from Test rugby in late 2023 and moving to France. Chessum said he is "picking [Itoje's] brains as part of an incredibly experienced senior leadership group" that also includes Ellis Genge, Jamie George, and George Ford.
Chessum also addressed recent on-field confrontations with England teammates during club matches. He was involved in a half-time skirmish with Northampton's Henry Pollock and a brief exchange with Bristol's Ellis Genge. "It's not difficult at all [to put all that behind you]," Chessum said. "They are two of my close mates in camp."
England face Australia on Sunday, 8 November at 15:10 GMT at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, in the Nations Championship. The match marks England's return to Twickenham since a 42-21 defeat by Ireland in February's Six Nations. Since then, England lost to world champions South Africa in July before recording wins over Fiji and Argentina.
Chessum acknowledged fan frustration but expressed optimism about the squad's potential. "We've got a huge amount of talent in the room... The talent we got in this group hasn't really got a ceiling," he said.
