Olly Cracknell
{{short description|Welsh rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Olly Cracknell
| image = Olly Cracknell 2020.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Oliver Cracknell
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1994|5|26}}
| birth_place = Leeds, England
| height = {{height|m=1.91}}
| weight = {{convert|121|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Leeds Grammar School
| currentclub = Leicester Tigers
| position = Flanker, Number 8
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 = Leeds Tykes
| amatyears2 =
| amatteam2 = Border Bulldogs
| amatyears3 =
| amatteam3 = RGC 1404
| years1 = 2014–2021
| clubs1 = Ospreys
| apps1 = 117
| points1 = 45
| years2 = 2021–2022
| clubs2 = London Irish
| apps2 = 15
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–
| clubs3 = Leicester Tigers
| apps3 = 64
| points3 = 35
| clubupdate = 1 June 2025
| repyears1 = 2014
| repteam1 = Wales U20
| repcaps1 = 6
| reppoints1 = 0
| repupdate = 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/olly-cracknell|title=Olly Cracknell|work=Ultimate Rugby|access-date=2 November 2021}}
Club career
Cracknell was part of the Leeds academy and as a teenager he toured South Africa with Leeds Grammar School in 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/28224527|title=Ospreys sign Wales Under-20s flanker Olly Cracknell|website=BBC Sport|date=9 July 2014|access-date=22 January 2025}} After that he was invited to spend 2013 with Border Bulldogs where he played for their youth team. Cracknell then joined RGC 1404 where his performances led to a first professional contract with Ospreys.
Cracknell made his club debut for Ospreys during the 2014-2015 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59132669|title=Olly Cracknell: London Irish sign Ospreys flanker|website=BBC Sport|date=2 November 2021|access-date=22 January 2025}} He played in their 2017 League semi-final elimination against Munster.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39914449|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 January 2025|title=Pro12 semi-final: Munster 23-3 Ospreys|date=20 May 2017}} After making over 100 appearances for the Welsh region in November 2021 it was announced that Cracknell would leave to join London Irish.{{cite news|url=https://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/ospreys-confirm-flanker-olly-cracknell-has-left-region|title=Ospreys confirm flanker Olly Cracknell has left region|work=Ospreys|date=2 November 2021|access-date=2 November 2021}}
Cracknell signed for Leicester Tigers on 12 May 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.leicestertigers.com/news/220512-signing-cracknell|work=Leicester Tigers|date=12 May 2022|access-date=24 June 2022|title=Leicester Tigers sign Olly Cracknell}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62836284|title=Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 24-20 Leicester Tigers - late Patrick Schickerling try secures hosts' victory|first=Brent|last=Pilnick|website=BBC Sport|date=10 September 2022|accessdate=22 January 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62927691|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 January 2025|title=Premiership: Leicester Tigers 36-21 Newcastle Falcons - Champions earn first win of season|date=17 September 2022}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65214762|title=Heineken Champions Cup: Leinster 55-24 Leicester Tigers - Leinster into semi-finals|first=Phil|last=Cartwright|website=BBC Sport|date=7 April 2023|accessdate=22 January 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65575777|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 January 2025|title=Sale Sharks 21-13 Leicester Tigers: Sharks reach first Premiership final in 17 years|date=14 May 2023}}
International career
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/remarkable-story-how-wales-rookie-12476238|title=The remarkable story of how Wales rookie Olly Cracknell was first discovered - by Rupert Moon!|work=Wales Online|date=19 January 2017|access-date=2 November 2021}}
Cracknell represented Wales U20 during the 2014 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/26531086|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 January 2025|title=2014 Six Nations: Wales U20 43-15 Scotland U20|date=14 March 2014}} Later that year he was a member of the Wales side that finished seventh at the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/27919474|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 January 2025|title=Junior World Championship: Wales U20 20-3 Samoa U20|date=20 June 2014}}
In January 2017 Cracknell was included in Wales’ senior squad for the 2017 Six Nations Championship but has not been capped.{{cite news|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/strange-case-human-tackle-machine-18149681|title=The strange case of the 'human tackle machine' the Wales rugby selectors simply went cold on|work=Wales Online|date=25 April 2020|access-date=2 November 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=John |date=31 December 2024|title=Gatland told to watch dual-qualified star as terminally ill Welsh hero honoured |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/tonights-rugby-news-legend-tells-30686294 |access-date=17 January 2025|website=Wales Online |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.leicestertigers.com/player/olly-cracknell Leicester Tigers Player Profile]
- {{ItsRugby|31432}}
{{Leicester Tigers squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cracknell, Olly}}
Category:People educated at Leeds Grammar School
Category:English people of Welsh descent
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Leicester Tigers players
Category:Ospreys (rugby union) players