Fin Baxter

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Fin Baxter
Date of birth (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 (age 23)
Place of birth London, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Weight120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 260 lb)
School Wellington College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Loosehead Prop
Current team Harlequins
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020– Harlequins 67 (15)
Correct as of 11 March 2025
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2019-20 England U18 7 (0)
2021–22 England U20 6 (0)
2024– England 10 (5)
Correct as of 11 March 2025

Fin Baxter (born 12 February 2002) is an English professional rugby union player who plays for Premiership club Harlequins. His main position is loosehead prop but he can also play tighthead prop. [1]

Contents

Early life

Baxter was born in London Borough of Waltham Forest growing up in Cobham. Alongside rugby, he also grew up playing football and competing in Judo. [2] He attended Wellington College. [2]

Club career

In 2015 at the age of thirteen Baxter joined the Harlequins academy and in June 2020 upgraded to full-time basis as a tighthead prop. [1] [2] He would later switch permanently to loosehead. [1] [3] In December 2020, Baxter made his debut for the first team coming on as a replacement in a defeat against Racing 92 at the Stoop. [4]

In June 2021, Baxter won the Premiership title, with Harlequins beating Exeter Chiefs 40-38 in the highest scoring Premiership final ever. Although he did not play in the final, his appearances as part of the first team throughout the season meant he qualified as part of the squad. [5]

In December 2022, aged only 20 Baxter won Man of the Match for his performance against Racing 92 in the Champions Cup as Harlequins won the match 14-10. [6] In his post match interview, he cited the important roles club mate Joe Marler and scrum coach Adam Jones had on influencing his performance. [7]

During the 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup, Harlequins beat Racing 92 again this time at the La Défense Arena as they won 28-31 away. [8] In April 2024, Baxter started as they beat Glasgow Warriors 28-24 at home in the Champions Cup Round of 16, the first time the club had ever won a knockout game in the competition. Despite the victory, he was replaced earlier than usual by Joe Marler after sustaining an injury to his arm. [9] The following week in the absence of Joe Marler, he started against Bordeaux Bègles, winning 42-41, making it only the second time the club had won in the knockout stages of the competition and the first away victory at this stage. His performance was highly praised having won multiple penalties at the scrum against international prop Ben Tameifuna. [10] [11] He also started in their semi-final elimination against Toulouse. [12] Following an impressive season he was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign. [13]

In October 2024, he scored his first try of the season during a 17–10 victory over Saracens. [14]

International career

In 2019 Baxter captained the England under-18 team. [2] He made his debut for the England under-20 side in the penultimate round of the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship as they defeated Wales to secure the junior version of the Triple Crown. [15] He then started in the final round as England beat Italy at Cardiff Arms Park to achieve a Grand slam. [16] [17] The following year saw Baxter Captain the side during the 2022 tournament. [18]

In February 2024 Baxter was called up to the England A team alongside Harlequins teammates Sam Riley, Oscar Beard and Cadan Murley and started in their victory over Portugal. [19]

In May 2024 Baxter received his first call-up to the senior England squad by coach Steve Borthwick for a training camp in preparation for their tour of New Zealand. [20] On 6 July 2024 he made his Test debut coming off the bench as a first-half replacement for the injured Joe Marler in a loss at Forsyth Barr Stadium. [21] The following weekend saw him make his first start as England were defeated by New Zealand at Eden Park to lose the series. [22]

In February 2025, he scored his first try for England during a 26–25 victory over France during the 2025 Six Nations. [23]

List of international tries

As of 11 February 2025 [24]

TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Flag of France.svg  France London, England Allianz Stadium 2025 Six Nations 8 February 2025Win26 - 25

Honours

Harlequins

England U20

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Fin Baxter Profile". Harlequins. Harlequins Rugby. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mockford, Sarah (3 November 2022). "Hotshot: Harlequins prop Fin Baxter". Rugby World. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Rees, Paul (23 December 2022). "Baxter enjoying life to the full after swapping sides" . The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. ↑ Mairs, Gavin (20 December 2020). "Racing 92 put on a masterclass to thrash dismal Harlequins" . The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  5. ↑ Pilnick, Brent (26 June 2021). "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 38-40 Harlequins". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  6. ↑ Morgan, Charlie (18 December 2022). "Fin Baxter impresses England scrum coach as Harlequins hang on over Racing 92" . The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  7. ↑ Dylan, James. "20-year-old player's interview captures hearts of rugby fans as he thanks Adam Jones". Wales Online. Wales Online. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "Racing 92 28-31 Harlequins: Marcus Smith steers Quins to superb Investec Champions Cup win in Paris". BBC Sport. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  9. ↑ O'Neill, George (5 April 2024). "Harlequins edge Glasgow in thriller to reach Champions Cup quarter-finals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  10. ↑ Barnes, Stuart (14 April 2024). "Fin Baxter is talent that England can build World Cup squad around" . The Times. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Investec Champions Cup: Bordeaux 41-42 Harlequins - Quins win thriller to reach semi-finals". BBC Sport. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  12. ↑ Mann, Mantej (5 May 2024). "Toulouse battle past Quins to reach Champions Cup final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Premiership Rugby Team of the Season 2023/34". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  14. ↑ "Match Report: Harlequins seal famous win over Saracens". Harlequins. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  15. ↑ Orders, Mark (7 July 2021). "Wales U20s 3-45 England U20s: Welsh youngsters suffer seven-try hammering as visitors complete Triple Crown". Wales Online. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Jack van Poortvliet wins 2021 Six Nations Under-20s Player of the Championship". Six Nations. Six Nations. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "England Under-20s 27-17 Italy Under-20s: England win Grand Slam in Cardiff". BBC Sport. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  18. ↑ "Under-20 Six Nations: England U20s 43-14 Wales U20s". BBC Sport. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "England A vs Portugal: Charlie Ewels to captain England A's first match since 2016". BBC Sport. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  20. ↑ "Seven uncapped players in England training squad". BBC Sport. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  21. ↑ Kitson, Robert (6 July 2024). "England left kicking themselves after agonising defeat against All Blacks". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  22. ↑ "Baxter to make first England start in Auckland". BBC Sport. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  23. ↑ Bull, Andy. "Muddy, bloody and bruised, Fin Smith comes of age on the grand stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  24. ↑ "Fin BAXTER profile and stats". all.rugby. Retrieved 2025-02-11.
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