England lock Ollie Chessum says he enjoys the leadership side of rugby but insists captaincy is not something he is actively pursuing at this stage. The 26-year-old, who has won 38 caps since his debut in February 2022 and captains Premiership leaders Leicester Tigers, was speaking ahead of England's Nations Championship match against Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Sunday 8 November.
Chessum, who toured with the British and Irish Lions last year, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "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. It is maybe further down the line that I have leadership ambitions, but I feel like captaincy is not really something you go after. I feel like it's a role that almost finds the right individual."
Current England captain Maro Itoje, 32, took over the role in January 2025 from Jamie George. Owen Farrell held the position from 2019 before stepping back from Test rugby in late 2023. Chessum said he is learning from the experienced senior leadership group that includes Itoje, Ellis Genge, Jamie George and George Ford.
The Leicester forward also addressed recent on-field confrontations with club rivals Henry Pollock (Northampton) and Ellis Genge (Bristol), saying they are close friends in the England camp and the incidents are simply part of the competitive nature of the game.
England are looking to rebuild after a disappointing Six Nations campaign that included a 42-21 loss to Ireland at Twickenham in February. They lost to world champions South Africa in July before recording wins over Fiji and Argentina. Chessum acknowledged fan frustration but expressed excitement about the squad's potential: "The talent we got in this group hasn't really got a ceiling. Some of the young guys that are coming through and have only got a handful of caps, you can really see being part of this England team for a very, very long time."
