Ellis first played for South Leicester at just six years old then moved to Wigston for a year before joining the Tigers Academy set-up in 1997. He studied at Leicester Grammar School and appeared for Leicestershire and the Midlands at age-group level before going on to earn a full house of England representative honours, appearing at U-16, U-18, U-19, U-21, Sevens, A and senior levels.

He is now in his eighth season with the Tigers and made his first team debut in 2001 and scored a try and later that seaso was named Players’ Young Player of the Year. He finally established himself as a regular in the No. 9 spot during the 2003-04 campaign.

Ellis made his England debut as a replacement for Andy Gomarsall in the Investec Challenge matches against South Africa and Australia in 2004 and played the following season’s RBS 6 Nations campaign and he played in every England game of the Six Nations Championships of 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07.

Knee ligament trouble prevented him being part of the 2007 RWC Squad but Ellis started every 2009 RBS 6 Nations match, however, finished the Championship concussed when he was knocked out after just 16 minutes against Scotland.