Hassell-Collins makes fast start with Irish

London Irish wing Ollie Hassell-Collins scored and assisted as his side kicked-off their Premiership season with a 45-14 win over beleaguered Worcester Warriors.

Hassell-Collins, a former student at St Bart’s who first played rugby for Newbury RFC, was involved in all of Irish’s first half tries and made seven successful tackles as he was named in the inaugural team of the week of the campaign.

The Exiles were unable to make it two from two in a 38-22 defeat to Northampton Saints at their Franklin’s Gardens home at the weekend but Hassell-Collins added a second try of his season with a late score.

“It was huge to start with a win, it’s so important, it’s a nice feeling after such a long pre-season,” Hassell-Collins said.

“The boys have really gelled well, we’ve got a lot of quality.

“We haven’t always had the best results over the first couple of games, we’re excited to kick on now.

“I’m pleased with the start, it’s always nice to do my job, to score and help the team.

“I want to be consistent and perform week in, week out and keep performing for the team.

“I’m at the age now where I’ve been at the club long enough to know what’s expected of me, it’s the most comfortable I’ve felt on a rugby pitch.”

The 23-year-old, who scored 11 tries last season, made his Irish debut in 2018 and is determined to put his experience to use as he looks to help a youthful Exiles side improve on last term’s eighth placed finish.

He said: “I’m absolutely looking to help some of the younger players, it’s one of the things I’ve focused most on in pre-season.

“I want to communicate more in meetings, lead backs’ meetings, be vocal on the pitch.

“It was massive for me when I was coming through, I hope we can help the young boys now like some of the senior lads helped us.

“We’ve been through it and we’re a bit more experienced now, I want to take that step up and be more of a leader for the team, I think that's somewhere I can improve.”

The league looks to be wide open this season after a reduced salary cap scattered some excellent players around the teams and sent others overseas – last season’s champions, Leicester Tigers, lost 24-20 to Exeter Chiefs in the season curtain-raiser.

“We’re going to take it one game at a time,” he laughs.

“It’s going to be a very competitive league, we’re looking forward to the challenge, if we can turn last season’s draws into wins then who knows.”

If Hassell-Collins can keep impressing, he’s tipped to follow in the footsteps of teammates Will Joseph and Henry Arundell and make his England debut.

He was called up to a June 2021 training camp and Eddie Jones’s 34-man training squad for this year’s Six Nations, but isn’t getting ahead of himself when it comes to making his international bow.

“It’s nice to have been considered and to have been in and around the camps, but that’s last season’s news now,” he said.

“If I don’t perform for Irish I’m not going to get picked for England, it’s as simple as that.”