Born in Colchester in 1990, Ollie moved to Belgium at a young age with his family, where he began his rugby journey at BSB under the watchful eye of his father. Armed with either a tennis or rugby ball, Ollie honed his athletic ability alongside his brother Matthew.

On returning to England, Ollie joined Colchester Rugby Football Club as a promising young player. He rapidly ascended the ranks, becoming a key figure in the 1st XV. His successful career at CRFC spanned 12 years but was ultimately cut short following a serious shoulder injury.

Ollie however couldn’t be kept away from the rugby field, and eventually returned to the game at Mersea Island where he was able to play alongside his brother again. The privilege of sharing the field with his brother is a cherished memory, and following in Matts footsteps as Captain is something that Ollie is immensely proud of:

“I'm incredibly proud to be the captain of Mersea Rugby Club. Following in my older brother Matt's footsteps makes it even more special. Playing alongside him these past few years and now leading the team is a huge honour, and I’m committed to upholding the legacy he has built.”

With the senior men’s team deep into the preseason, Ollie and the rest of the squad are excited for the new challenge that awaits. Director of Rugby, Alex Lacey, had this to say:

“Ollie’s leadership and experience has been one of the key components of our success over the past few years, and we are delighted to have him take on the role of Captain. We have an abundance of talented players throughout the squad at Mersea, all who I know will support Ollie and Andrew (Windy) to achieve some great things this term.”

The season begins with a preseason game away to Maldon on Saturday 31st August, with both 1st and 2nd XV’s kicking off their campaigns the following week to March Bears (away) and Bury 4s (home), respectively.