England’s national rugby team has suffered a setback with the news that key forward Ollie Chessum will miss the upcoming series against the All Blacks in New Zealand. The 23-year-old Chessum had played in all five of England’s Six Nations matches earlier this year, featuring in the second-row for three matches and then moving to the back-row for the remaining two games.
However, Leicester Tigers, Chessum’s club, has confirmed that he will miss the remainder of the 2023/24 season due to an injury that required successful surgery. The young player is expected to begin his rehabilitation and aims to be back in action for the 2024/25 Premiership campaign.
Chessum’s absence will be keenly felt by the Tigers as they approach their final two regular season matches against Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs. While Leicester is out of contention for a playoff spot, they still have a chance to qualify for the Investec Champions Cup next season if they can secure a seventh-place finish in the league – eighth place will also suffice if Gloucester loses in the Challenge Cup final.
With 23 Test caps to his name, Chessum’s injury setback means that he will miss England’s upcoming mid-year Test matches, including the highly anticipated clash against the All Blacks. This series will begin in Tokyo, followed by matches at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin and Eden Park in Auckland.
In other news, England’s June/July international fixtures have been confirmed, with England set to face Japan on June 22 at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. This will be followed by two Test matches against New Zealand on July 6 at Forsyth Barr Stadium and July 13 at Eden Park in Auckland. These upcoming matches are highly anticipated, especially as England will be the All Blacks’ first challenge under new head coach Scott Robertson.
The absence of Chessum will undoubtedly be a setback for England and Leicester Tigers, but fans and teammates alike are eagerly awaiting his return to the field. As the rugby world awaits the highly anticipated series between England and the All Blacks, all eyes will be on how both teams perform in this exciting contest.