1
'For the Lions to be in England would be a bit odd, but I can't complain - if I got picked, I wouldn't care where it is'
Henry Slade is relishing the prospect of making his Exeter comeback against Bristol on Saturday to kick off a year he hopes will see him earn a place in the British and Irish Lions squad.
ADVERTISEMENT
The centre is among the England internationals returning to action after a rest period as the Chiefs, the Gallagher Premiership champions and leaders, host a Bears outfit who are level on points with them in second.
“I’m actually really excited,” Slade said.
“It’s been a little while. But we’ve had the mandatory rest now, we’re back, we have a big game this weekend, and what a way to start back.”
As to where 2021 might lead, the 27-year-old, holder of 34 England caps, is regarded as a major contender to make the Lions squad for the Tests against South Africa.
Asked about how big a deal the Lions is for players of his generation, Slade said: “It’s massive, something every player wants to do and strives towards.
“It’s something you want to put yourself in with the best shot of doing and the only way you can do that is by playing well for your club, if you get selected for your country, playing well for your country, and sticking week by week really.
“If you worry about things that are too far in the future, then you miss out on what is right there in front of you – I’ve learnt that over the years. I’m just going to focus on Bristol this weekend, then the next game, the next game, and see where it takes me.”
ADVERTISEMENT
While the Lions are currently scheduled to tour South Africa this summer, there is doubt over the series taking place as planned due to the coronavirus situation in the country.
The PA news agency understands playing the series in the UK and Ireland is one of three contingency plans under consideration, with the feasibility of a postponement until 2022 and pressing ahead on with the current itinerary but holding the games behind closed doors also options being examined.
Leinster bounce back #LEIvULShttps://t.co/qNoNhzChgR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 8, 2021
Slade admits that while tours are “special”, if he was playing for the Lions he “wouldn’t care where”.
He said: “I’ve never been on a Lions tour and it is every player’s dream to do that. I think the experience of being on a tour and being away with a group of lads is a special thing.
ADVERTISEMENT
“For it to be in England would be a bit odd, I guess it would feel a bit strange. But I can’t complain – if you’re getting picked for the Lions, which I’m trying my best to do so, I wouldn’t care where it is.”
Slade’s 2020 included helping Exeter win the Champions Cup and Premiership on successive weekends in October, then England win the Six Nations title and the Autumn Nations Cup in the two weeks that followed.
“That was an unbelievable few weeks,” Slade said. “It would make it all that (more) sweeter if there were fans there to experience it with us, but I can’t complain with winning that many trophies in that short a time. It’s probably never going to happen again – playing Six Nations in October and that sort of thing.
“Winning that was unbelievable, but we’re hoping to try to sort of emulate that again.”
In August Slade’s partner Megan Browse gave birth to their daughter Olive, and he added: “It was a really good year for myself. Obviously I understand there has been a lot of trouble for a lot of people and it’s been a bad year for a lot. But I can’t have too many bad words to say about it.
“My daughter being born was the best day of my life and changed it completely and an unbelievable experience. We are enjoying every part of it – even changing the nappies.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ever so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to comments