Leicester loose forward Olly Cracknell, who had a stint in South Africa, has been called up by Wales for next month’s Autumn Nations Series.
Cracknell replaces veteran No 8 Taulupe Faletau, who suffered a knee injury during Cardiff’s URC victory over Edinburgh on Saturday.
“It’s obviously hugely disappointing to lose Toby to injury as he’s a world-class player, but Olly’s been playing really well for Leicester and we’re excited to add him to the squad,” said new Wales head coach Steve Tandy.
According to WalesOnline, former scrumhalf Wales scrumhalf Rupert Moon, who was previously the Welsh Rugby Union’s North Wales development officer in 2012, heard about Cracknell while he was playing in South Africa.
Moon admitted he “stalked” the youngster and convinced him to join Welsh club RGC 1404.
“He had gone on tour with Leeds Grammar School and decided to pay his own way to go back and join the Border Academy in East London, where he stayed for eight months,” Moon told WalesOnline.
“I know from speaking to him about it that it was pretty brutal. He was training four times a day, sharing a room, but he wanted that personal and rugby development.
“He ended up playing in places like Loftus Versfeld and Newlands, which was a great experience for him.”
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Cracknell returned to the UK in 2014, where a string of strong performances for RGC 1404 caught the attention of the Ospreys, earning him his first professional contract.
He went on to make more than 100 appearances for the Swansea-based club before furthering his career with London Irish in 2021 and the Leicester Tigers a year later.
𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙛𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙮𝙢𝙧𝙪
Here is your 3⃣9⃣-man squad for our 2025 @QuilterNations campaign
#CymruAmByth | #QuilterNationsSeries
— Welsh Rugby Union
(@WelshRugbyUnion) October 21, 2025
Wales face Argentina in Cardiff on 9 November and then play Japan at home before facing the All Blacks and world champion Springboks back-to-back at the Millennium Stadium.
Wales were on a record 18-match losing run before finally ending that dismal streak with a 31-22 victory over Japan in Kobe in July.
LRZ is back in red
— Welsh Rugby Union
– AFP
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