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Olly Cracknell

Olly Cracknell
Birth nameOliver Cracknell
Date of birth (1994-05-26) 26 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birthLeeds, England
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight121 kg (19 st 1 lb; 267 lb)
SchoolLeeds Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Current team Leicester Tigers
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Leeds Tykes ()
Border Bulldogs ()
RGC 1404 ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2021 Ospreys 117 (45)
2021–2022 London Irish 15 (0)
2022– Leicester Tigers 57 (25)
Correct as of 27 January 2025
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014 Wales U20 6 (0)
Correct as of 30 June 2014

Oliver Cracknell (born 26 May 1994) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker or number 8 for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers. He was also a Wales under-20 international.[1]

Club career

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Cracknell was part of the Leeds academy and as a teenager he toured South Africa with Leeds Grammar School in 2012.[2] After that he was invited to spend 2013 with Border Bulldogs where he played for their youth team.[2] Cracknell then joined RGC 1404 where his performances led to a first professional contract with Ospreys.[2]

Cracknell made his club debut for Ospreys during the 2014-2015 season.[3] He played in their 2017 League semi-final elimination against Munster.[4] After making over 100 appearances for the Welsh region in November 2021 it was announced that Cracknell would leave to join London Irish.[3][5]

Cracknell signed for Leicester Tigers on 12 May 2022.[6] He made his Leicester debut on 10 September 2022 in a 24-20 defeat away to Exeter Chiefs during the opening round of the season and then scored his first try for Leicester the following week against Newcastle Falcons.[7][8] That season Cracknell scored a try during their Champions Cup quarter-final defeat against Leinster and also played in their Premiership semi-final elimination to Sale Sharks.[9][10]

International career

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Cracknell was born and raised in Leeds but qualifies for both England through place of birth and Wales due to his Welsh grandfather from Llanelli.[11]

Cracknell represented Wales U20 during the 2014 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[12] Later that year he was a member of the Wales side that finished seventh at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.[13]

In January 2017 Cracknell was included in Wales’ senior squad for the 2017 Six Nations Championship but has not been capped.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "Olly Cracknell". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Ospreys sign Wales Under-20s flanker Olly Cracknell". BBC Sport. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Olly Cracknell: London Irish sign Ospreys flanker". BBC Sport. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  4. ^ "Pro12 semi-final: Munster 23-3 Ospreys". BBC Sport. 20 May 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Ospreys confirm flanker Olly Cracknell has left region". Ospreys. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Leicester Tigers sign Olly Cracknell". Leicester Tigers. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  7. ^ Pilnick, Brent (10 September 2022). "Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 24-20 Leicester Tigers - late Patrick Schickerling try secures hosts' victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Premiership: Leicester Tigers 36-21 Newcastle Falcons - Champions earn first win of season". BBC Sport. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  9. ^ Cartwright, Phil (7 April 2023). "Heineken Champions Cup: Leinster 55-24 Leicester Tigers - Leinster into semi-finals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Sale Sharks 21-13 Leicester Tigers: Sharks reach first Premiership final in 17 years". BBC Sport. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  11. ^ "The remarkable story of how Wales rookie Olly Cracknell was first discovered - by Rupert Moon!". Wales Online. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  12. ^ "2014 Six Nations: Wales U20 43-15 Scotland U20". BBC Sport. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Junior World Championship: Wales U20 20-3 Samoa U20". BBC Sport. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  14. ^ "The strange case of the 'human tackle machine' the Wales rugby selectors simply went cold on". Wales Online. 25 April 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  15. ^ Jones, John (31 December 2024). "Gatland told to watch dual-qualified star as terminally ill Welsh hero honoured". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
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