Ollie Batson

Exeter Chiefs' academy has a habit of producing senior internationals, and Ollie Batson is one of the teenage forwards the club hopes will follow that path. An English forward born on 6 April 2007, he is among the youngest names on the Exeter books, his physical maturity for his age accelerating his exposure to the senior training environment. His game is built on the carrying and breakdown qualities Exeter's coaches prioritise when blooding young forwards. 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 adjusted 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 young forwards Exeter are investing in, and his progress will be tracked closely as he moves up through the age grades.