By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2025-01-09 12:53:32 | Updated at 2025-01-09 22:21:42
9 hours ago
Olly Cracknell is a bird-watching back-rower with international ambitions, who found relief from the grief of his father's death last year in a roaring opening-day performance for Leicester Tigers.
It was only four days before Leicester were to start their campaign, against Exeter Chiefs, that Cracknell's dad Tom passed away after a long illness at the age of 80.
There was huge anticipation for the fixtures, as head coach Michael Cheika was in charge of Tigers for the first time. But after the win, the Australian heaped praise on the back-rower for his performance and desire to play during such an emotional time.
Cracknell says it was family that encouraged him to appear for Leicester that day, and he remains thankful to them, as well as friends and all at the club who helped get him on the pitch.
"Before the game it was really hard and I knew if I could just get on the field then you sort of switch off a bit and focus on the game," Cracknell told BBC Radio Leicester.
"I knew holding it all back and getting on the field, there was an element of some catharsis in playing and taking it out in the game.
"To win that game the way we did is an experience I'll never forget - a last-minute try away at Exeter. It was nice to be with the boys in that moment."
While putting in big hits and getting stuck in at set-pieces helped Cracknell cope that day, he is someone that tends to find calming comforts in more far flung places.
With binoculars in hand, he has escaped to the to the Isle of Skye, off the north west coast of Scotland, to watch birds of prey.
"I've gone up to Scotland for a couple of family holidays and we saw eagles up there on one of those, and I thought they were really interesting and I wanted to see one in the wild," Cracknell said.
"So a year ago, when we had a random week off in January or February, I got a camper van and went with my dog up to the Isle of Skye and I saw a golden eagle and white-tailed eagles in the wild up there.
"I really like the peace of it, and it's a beautiful part of the UK.
"We have a group of lads, the eagle group we call it, and we did a social last year which was good fun. And I'll try line it up this year as well."
Talking about Cracknell ahead of Leicester's European Champions Cup against Ulster on Saturday, Cheika spoke of a "stoic" figure on the pitch and "different cat" off it.
Cracknell says stoicism is a trait he inherited from his parents, while the notion of being a "different cat" - Australian slang for curious character - is no surprise.
"The fact I like birds of prey for a start, is a sign," Cracknell laughed.
"Why am I weird? It's hard to answer. I don't know. The eagles, and I studied history and maybe I have slightly different interests from the other boys."
Bird-watching and rugged Scottish getaways are maybe not what is expected of a former Ospreys and London Irish back-rower who has come into career-best form at the age of 30.
He has impressed so thoroughly at number 8 for Cheika's Tigers this season that the player better known as a reliable utility back-rower has been tipped to get an international call-up for the upcoming Six Nations.
The Leeds-born player has featured for Wales' Under-20 side and was called up to their senior team in 2017, but remains uncapped at that level, which leaves him eligible to play for England.
Cracknell said there has been no contact over an potential Wales call-up for the Six Nations, but said he is working hard to earn it.
"Every player that goes out there in the Premiership aspires to play international rugby," he said.
"I want to test myself at the highest level I can, but I've got to be patient and play as well as I can.
"I just have to keep pushing to improve my game and level up really."
