Ollie Chessum will MISS England's crucial clashes with New Zealand this summer after undergoing shoulder surgery

Ollie Chessum will miss England’s crucial tour matches with New Zealand this summer after underdoing successful surgery on a shoulder injury.

The Leicester Tigers forward – who can play at both lock and blindside flanker – has emerged as a key figure for club and country since making his international debut in the 2022 Six Nations.

England head coach Steve Borthwick worked with Chessum at the Tigers before succeeding Eddie Jones as the country’s national boss and is a big fan of the 23-year-old’s ability.

But he won’t be able to call on him for the match with Japan – now coached by Jones – on June 22 or the two games with the All Blacks on July 6 and July 13 respectively.

Chessum’s club Leicester confirmed on Thursday Chessum will miss the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign after having successful surgery to repair an ‘ongoing injury.’

While the Tigers refused to confirm the exact nature of Chessum’s fitness issue, it is understood he went under the knife to fix a shoulder problem.

Chessum will spend the summer recuperating from surgery and is expected to be fit for Leicester for the start of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season.

His injury means Borthwick will likely pick Maro Itoje and Chessum’s Leicester team-mate George Martin as his first-choice lock pairing for the New Zealand matches.