Henry Slade: 'The thing I like about both Joe and Marcus'
Henry Slade has explained what he likes about starting for England with Marcus Smith positioned inside him at out-half and with Joe Marchant positioned outside him at outside centre. The Exeter midfielder has been named as his country’s starting No12 for the fourth consecutive game in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations.
Against Ireland on Saturday, he will be combining with starting half-back Smith for the fourth time this year while Marchant has been named as the England No13 for the second time in this championship having also been selected on the wing against Scotland and on the bench versus Wales.
Set to turn 29 next weekend on the same day at England will finish their Six Nations away to France, the 46-cap Slade is very much the more seasoned player in this ten-twelve-13 combination as the 23-year-old Smith has just eight caps and the 25-year-old Marchant has ten caps heading into this weekend’s round four fixture.
Despite that inexperience on either side of him, England regular Slade has enjoyed the relationship he has built with an out-half who debited at Test level last July and a midfielder who first appeared in a 2019 World Cup warm-up friendly but has since been sparingly used by Eddie Jones until this season.
“It is very much a three,” said Slade when asked to describe the dynamic that exists between the England No10 and the midfield. “As with Marcus, I have really enjoyed playing with Joe. He has got some top quality attributes to his game. He is one of the quickest guys you will ever see, a hell of an athlete, great in the air – he has got it all really. To play with him is really good.
“The thing I like about both Joe and Marcus is we can have really honest chats and say what we want and no one gets offended, everyone listens to everyone and it is a really good relationship we have built over the last few months. I have known Joe for a fair while now, played a few times with him. I like what they are about and it feels good.
“Marcus is a top player, an unbelievable talent. I have really enjoyed playing with him. We have got a good relationship on and off the pitch, do a lot of stuff together off the pitch as well so we get on well. Before he started playing, he was in camp before so we have known each other for a while.
“I just like his mindset and how he likes to attack a game and how he likes to play with the ball is great for someone like myself to get on the ball more as well which has been awesome. As I said, he is a top-quality talent himself but the way his mindset and how he wants to play is something I share with him and that is probably why we feel like we have clicked so well.
“If you have got the ball for a few phases, the ten and twelve tend to be fairly close to each other normally and we can be talking to each other without having to shout. When you are that close we can see what we are doing and where we are going and react off each other.
“That is what has been going pretty well. We have had points in games that have been really good and we have been having good sessions in training – we are always looking to push on.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments