Henry Slade says 'history means nothing' as Exeter face European rugby royalty
Henry Slade says that “history means nothing” ahead of Exeter’s crunch Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final clash against Leinster on Saturday.
It is just six months since the Chiefs conquered Europe, claiming a maiden title after beating French challengers Racing 92 in Bristol.
They barely had time to gather breath following that memorable triumph, with the current campaign starting just four weeks after the previous one finished as Exeter claimed a European and domestic double by defeating Wasps at Twickenham.
Chiefs’ reign as European champions will end if Leinster topple them at Sandy Park.
Only four teams – Leinster, Leicester, Toulon and Saracens – have successfully defended the European Cup in its 26-year history.
The Irish heavyweights, chasing a record fifth European Cup triumph this season, play their 16th quarter-final – and they have won eight of the last 10.
“We know how hard they fight for everything,” Exeter and England centre Slade said.
“There are a few areas where we are going to have to be really strong and really smart. We’ve got to give them the respect they deserve, but not too much, because we want to be the ones being the aggressors.
“History means nothing. It’s all about what we are doing in our next game.
“It (last season) was brilliant and an unbelievable time, but it is the past now. We know the quality Leinster have got and what they are going to bring, and we want to get out at the weekend and do ourselves justice.
“You have to have that genuine belief. I am sure Leinster are in exactly the same boat, having absolute faith in what they are doing.
“Leinster historically are very, very good in this competition. We are a fair bit newer to it, but we won it last year and we are wanting to carry on from where we left off.
“We’ve been through some lows together and some highs, and I think we’ve come off them and learnt things about each other.
“I feel like we are in a good place at the minute, but it doesn’t come without a lot of hard work.”
Slade, who missed England’s comprehensive Guinness Six Nations defeat against a Leinster-studded Ireland team last month because of injury, started four games in that tournament.
Defeats against Ireland, Scotland and Wales consigned England to a fifth-placed finish, and Slade added: “It was massively disappointing.
“To finish in fifth doesn’t feel like a fair result of how much work we put in over the tournament and in training each week. It is frustrating.
“Although we got off to a bad start against Scotland – the performance wasn’t anywhere near where we want to be – I thought against Italy we showed signs of wanting to throw the ball about more and playing a more attacking game, and the Wales game we did more of that.
“We didn’t get much go our way that game, and then France was a really good performance and great result against a really good side.
“To bookend the tournament with disappointing performances was frustrating, but I thought in the middle of it we did a lot of good.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments