Ollie Batson

At just 18 years of age, Ollie Batson is among the youngest professionals on the Exeter Chiefs books. The English forward, born on 6 April 2007, has progressed through the Chiefs' academy system, a development pipeline that has consistently produced senior internationals. Batson's game is built on the carrying and breakdown qualities that the club's coaches prioritise when blooding young forwards, and his physical maturity for his age has accelerated his exposure to senior training environments. Like many of his academy peers, his early competitive minutes have come in second-team rugby and the Premiership Rugby Cup, where he has been able to acclimatise to the demands of senior contact and the speed of professional decision-making. Coaches highlight his work ethic and his willingness to take on the less glamorous detail of forward play — the cleanouts, the tip passes, the tackle-set — as markers of someone who can build a long career in the Premiership. With several years of physical development still ahead, Batson is one of a number of teenage forwards Exeter are investing time in, with the goal of producing the next generation to follow the club's recent forward leaders. His trajectory will be tracked closely as he progresses through the age grades.