Fans are only now realizing that England winger Ollie Sleightholme is carrying on a proud family tradition, following in the boots of his legendary dad, Jon Sleightholme.
With a heritage of blistering pace and a nose for the try line, Ollie has made waves at Northampton Saints since his early days, where he wowed in the Under-18s and the Premiership Rugby 7s.
RUCK’s Autumn Nations Series coverage is proudly powered by the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, dedicated to creating a world free of MND. Join the the fight against MND here.
A Stunning Premiership Debut
Ollie burst onto the senior scene in style. He scored his first Northampton try just 15 seconds into his Gallagher Premiership debut against Wasps, capping off his breakthrough season with seven tries in as many games. Talk about an impact player!
Rising Star
In the 2020/21 season, Sleightholme truly came into his own, racking up nine tries in 12 games, including a jaw-dropping quartet of scores against Worcester Warriors. The following year, he made 15 more appearances, helping Saints reach the Premiership semi-finals, with his younger brother Frankie also joining the try-scoring action.
International Pedigree
It’s not just club rugby where Ollie has shone. He bagged a silver medal with England Sevens at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and represented England Under-18s and Under-20s at the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship. A senior cap seemed imminent after a call-up in 2021, but an injury cruelly kept him off the international stage.
Meet Jon Sleightholme: The 90s Speedster
Ollie’s dad, Jon Sleightholme, was a fan favorite back in the 90s. He made his mark as a flying winger for Grimsby, Bath, and Northampton Saints, scoring ten tries in fifty games for the Saints and twelve England caps, crossing the whitewash four times. He even suited up for the Barbarians!
Fans have loved this connection, with one saying, “Can’t believe I’d never clocked that Ollie Sleightholme is the son of Jon Sleightholme!”
Another chimed in: “Like father, like son. Ollie is a quality operator.”
And one more remarked, “Jon Sleightholme was one of the most underrated wingers around in the 90s. His son is now one of the most underrated wingers in the 20s. Funny how these things work out.”
EDITORS PICKS:
- Owen Farrell’s Heated Rivalry with one Springbok: “Very Different Characters”
- Premiership’s only ‘out’ player is 6ft 8in forward who could target England call-up
- Martin Johnson Speaks Out After Desperate Attempt to Save Neighbour’s Life
- Matt Dawson has a new a partner after splitting from wife following Question Of Sport exit
- Gatland facing the sack: The favourites to replace the under pressure Wales boss
