Rising Harlequins star Fin Baxter tipped to become England captain and centurion - 'Destined to be a great'

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Excitement is brewing about what Fin Baxter could achieve in the game, and TNT Sports spoke to those around him to get some insight into the Harlequins and England prop. Coach Adam Jones described Baxter as "the full package" and "destined to be a great player," while his team-mate Will Trenholm backed him to become England captain. Baxter himself says he is "looking for what’s next" in 2025.

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Rising star Fin Baxter has been labelled "the full package" who is "destined" to become an England captain and centurion by his Harlequins coaches and team-mates.

The 22-year-old prop made his Test debut away to New Zealand in July after rising through the ranks with the Gallagher Premiership club.

Baxter followed that up with appearances from the bench in all four of England’s Autumn Nations Series matches and, with the 2025 Six Nations fast approaching, the loosehead has been tipped for great things.

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Wales legend Adam Jones, now a first-team coach at Quins, told TNT Sports that recently-retired England international Joe Marler "passed down the Quins and England jerseys" to Baxter.

"If he keeps being diligent and working as hard as he is, he’s going to get many more [caps]. It’s a shame he’s not Welsh really," Jones said.

"He’s the full package. The exciting thing is he’s going to get bigger and stronger. He was always destined to be a great player."

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Baxter has already established himself as a key man for his club, making the No. 1 shirt his own this season at Harlequins.

But his team-mate and long-time friend Will Trenholm believes there is a lot more to come at international level.

"I reckon he’ll be captain of England one day, he’ll be a Lions player," Trenholm said.

Gary Osner has watched Baxter’s rise closely from coaching him at under-6 level upwards at Cobham until he joined Quins.

"He was as soft as anything off the pitch and as hard as nails on the pitch. It was like chalk and cheese," Osner said.

"I see him becoming a centurion in terms of caps and leading his country."

Baxter 'looking for what is next'

While excitement is building around the prop’s potential in the game, he is trying to keep his feet on the ground after a breakthrough year.

Baxter, who is yet to start for England, is eyeing further improvement heading into a year that will likely see him make his Six Nations bow – and potentially put a hand up for British & Irish Lions selection.

"It’s awesome to reflect on what I have achieved so far but I’m looking for what’s next," Baxter said.

"I really want to step up and perform on the international stage. I’ve been given some great opportunities and I’m just concentrating on what’s next."

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Before any of that, there are club duties to focus on with a busy set of festive fixtures ahead.

Harlequins travel to Gloucester on Friday, December 20 before hosting Leicester on Saturday, December 28 to finish off the year – with both games live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Quins sit seventh in the Gallagher Premiership standings after seven rounds, picking up three wins and four defeats in an inconsistent start to the season.

A win in Gloucester would see them leapfrog the hosts and potentially close the five-point gap to the top four.

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