England Prop Fin Baxter Renews Harlequins Contract

England prop Fin Baxter has signed a contract extension with Harlequins. The 22-year-old loose-head, who has quickly established himself as a regular starter in the club’s front row, initially joined Quins’ academy at the age of 13. Since his first-team debut in December 2020, he has made 58 appearances. During the 2023-24 season, Baxter participated in all 18 of Harlequins’ Premiership matches and was subsequently named in the Premiership team of the season at the conclusion of the campaign. Baxter secured the first of his six international caps in July during the Test series against New Zealand. He had also previously represented England at under-18 and under-20 levels. “If someone had told me 12 months ago I was going to have the year I’ve had, at first, I wouldn’t have believed them,” Baxter said. He continued, “Good performances at club level with Quins allowed me the opportunity to go on tour with England and earn my first caps for my country, and I believe I’ve developed so much from those experiences. Hopefully there is more to come.” Baxter’s new deal follows contract renewals by several other Harlequins players in recent weeks, extending their terms beyond this season. These include England fly-half Marcus Smith, second row Stephan Lewies, winger Caden Murley, and scrum-half Will Porter. Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson stated that Baxter is an “outstanding rugby player” who has developed at a “rapid rate” during his tenure at the club. Wilson remarked, “He’s another homegrown talent that took their opportunity when introduced into the senior setup and he’s never looked back.” He added, “Fin has a desire to learn, which is vital in any player’s journey to becoming an elite operator in their position, especially in the front row.”