Ollie Chessum signs new two-year deal to stay at Leicester Tigers

Ollie Chessum has signed a new two-year contract that keeps him at Leicester Tigers, the club he has played for since coming through its academy.

The deal keeps him at Welford Road, the Tigers' home ground. The academy is the club's youth system, where young players train before they are offered a place in the senior squad. Chessum made his first-team breakthrough in August 2020 and has since made 89 appearances for the club.

Explaining his decision, Chessum said he "couldn't see myself with another badge on my chest". The badge is the club crest that players wear on the front of their shirts, and his words suggest he sees his future in the red and white of Leicester. BBC Sport

The new contract comes as Chessum is in his second season as the Tigers' captain. Geoff Parling named him club captain in 2025, a role that asks a player to lead the team on the pitch and represent the squad off it. Leicester Tigers

His start to the current season was delayed while he recovered from a foot injury. Coming back from a setback like that takes patience, and the new deal gives him a clear run of security as he works back to full fitness.

The announcement also underlines how much value Leicester place on players who have grown up within the club. Chessum's name now joins a long list of Tigers who have chosen to commit their careers to Welford Road.