Ollie Sleightholme

Ollie Sleightholme

Birth name	Oliver Harry Sleightholme
Date of birth	(2000-04-13) 13 April 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Northampton, England
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Weight	89 kg (196 lb; 14 st 0 lb)
School	Northampton School for Boys
Notable relative(s)	Jon Sleightholme (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing Current team Northampton Saints Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018– Northampton Saints 81 (235) Correct as of 24 November 2024 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018 England U18 4 (15) 2019-2020 England U20 10 (25) 2024– England 5 (20) Correct as of 24 November 2024

Oliver Harry Sleightholme (born 13 April 2000 in Northampton, England) is an English professional rugby union footballer. He plays as a winger for Northampton Saints. ^[1] His father, Jon Sleightholme, was an England international. ^[2]

Youth career

Sleightholme spent all his youth career at Northampton Old Scouts, where he played alongside future Saints teammate Connor Tupai. ^{[3] [1]} He was a pupil at Northampton School for Boys, ^[4] and played in the school's team that made it to the semi-final of the 2018 NatWest Schools Cup, in which he scored a try in a 19–12 defeat by Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield. ^[5] He played for the England rugby sevens team at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, and he scored a try in his team's loss to Samoa in the final. ^[6] He scored a try on his debut for England under-18s in a 42–14 win against Wales under-18s on 25 March 2018. ^[7]

Northampton Saints

Sleightholme signed a senior academy contract with Northampton Saints before the 2018–19 season. ^[8] He made his debut for Northampton in a Premiership Rugby Cup match against Bristol Bears on 27 October 2018. ^[9] And he made his Premiership debut three weeks later, scoring his first Northampton try 14 seconds after coming on as a second-half replacement against Wasps. ^{[10] [11]} In only his second European Rugby Challenge Cup game, he scored four tries against Timișoara Saracens on 18 January 2019. ^[12]

In May 2024, having finished the season as top tryscorer in the Premiership, he was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign. ^[13]

International career

Sleightholme was named in the England squad for the 2019 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, ^[14] and he made his debut in the opening game against Ireland. ^[10] He scored tries against both France and Italy to help England finish third in the competition. ^[1]

Sleightholme also played at the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship, ^[15] and he scored two tries as England lost to Ireland in the opening game. ^[16] He subsequently scored a try in England's final pool game against Australia, ^[17] with England eventually finishing the tournament in fifth place. ^[18]

Alan Dickens named Sleightholme in his 32-man England squad for the 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. ^[19]

He was called up to the senior England squad in September 2021 for a training camp. ^[20]

He later made his debut for the side in 2024 coming off of the bench in the narrow 16-15 loss to New Zealand ^[21] In November 2024, he scored two tries in a loss against Australia in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series. ^[22] He went on to score his fourth try in five games in their final Autumn Nations Series fixture of 2024, a 59–14 win against Japan. This equalled the amount his father, Jon, had scored for England. ^{[23] [24]}

References

1. "Ollie Sleightholme player profile". Northampton Saints. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
2. "At home with the Sleightholmes". Northampton Saints. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
3. "Joy for Scouts youngsters as they claim East Midlands Cup". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . 27 April 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
4. "NSB Young Saints Join Senior Academy For 2018/19 Season". Northampton School for Boys. 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
5. "U18 Schools Cup: QEGS set up 2nd U18 final in 3 years". XV Rugby. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
6. "Sleightholme scores as England claim silver at Commonwealth Youth Games". Northampton Saints. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
7. "Sleightholme scores on England U18 debut". Northampton Saints. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
8. "Tupai and Sleightholme stay on as Saints hand senior contracts to five young stars". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . 13 March 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
9. "Saints make 14 changes to matchday squad for Bristol cup clash". Northampton Chronicle & Echo . 26 October 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
10. "Ollie Sleightholme player profile". England Rugby. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
11. "Match Report: Northampton Saints 36 – 17 Wasps". Premiership Rugby. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
12. "Northampton and Harlequins into last eight". Sky Sports. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
13. "Premiership Rugby Team of the Season 2023/34". Premiership Rugby. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
14. "England U20: Six Nations squad features plenty of senior experience". Fifteen Rugby. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
15. "England Men Name U20 Squad for World Rugby U20 Championship". Premiership Rugby. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
16. "World Rugby U20 Championship: Ireland 42-26 England". BBC Sport. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
17. "England U20 56-33 Australia U20". World Rugby. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
18. "World Rugby U20 Championship: England U20 45-26 Wales U20". BBC Sport. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
19. "England men U20s elite player squad for 2020 announced". England Rugby. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
20. "Louis Lynagh called up by England - Billy & Mako Vunipola plus George Ford left out". BBC. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
21. https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/sleightholme-set-for-england-debut-as-six-saints-stars-are-selected-against-new-zealand-4687094
22. "Recap: England stunned as Australia snatch dramatic victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
23. "Nine-try England thrash Japan 59-14 to end losing run - reaction". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
24. Hewett, Chris. "Rugby Union: The time is right for Guscott". The Independent. Retrieved 24 November 2024.

External links

• Premiership Rugby Profile
• European Professional Club Rugby Profile
• Northampton Saints Profile