Ollie Batson

One of the youngest names on the Exeter Chiefs books, Ollie Batson is an English forward born on 6 April 2007 who has come through the club's well-regarded academy system - a development pipeline that has consistently produced senior internationals. His game is built on the carrying and breakdown qualities Exeter's coaches prioritise when blooding young forwards, and his physical maturity for his age has accelerated his exposure to the senior training environment. Like many of his academy peers, Batson's early competitive minutes have come in second-team rugby and the Premiership Rugby Cup, where he has been able to adjust to the demands of senior contact and the speed of professional decision-making. Coaches point to his work ethic and his willingness to take on the less glamorous detail of forward play - the cleanouts, the tip passes and the tackle-set - as signs of a player who can build a lasting career in the Premiership. With years of physical development still ahead of him, Batson is one of a number of teenage forwards Exeter are investing in, hoping to produce the next generation to follow the club's recent forward leaders. His progress will be tracked closely as he moves up through the age grades.