Struggling Exeter Chiefs start Henry Slade after England release
England outside centre Henry Slade will make his first appearance of the season as Exeter Chiefs look to end their worst start to a Premiership season when Harlequins visit Sandy Park on Sunday afternoon.
Slade has been given special permission from England coach Steve Borthwick to play in the game after missing the start of the new season after having a shoulder operation after the summer tour of Japan and New Zealand.
After being released from their camp in Spain, he will have the chance to prove his fitness ahead of England’s opening clash of their Autumn Nations Series campaign against the All Blacks at Twickenham on Saturday week.
Slade will partner Will Rigg in the midfield, with Olly Woodburn, who had been standing in for him, moving back out to the wing with Paul Brown-Bampoe and Josh Hodge rounding out the back three.
The Chiefs, who have lost their opening five games, including a reverse against Newcastle Falcons, who ended a 25-game winless run last time and a sixth loss, will set a new club record for their longest losing run in the top-flight.
“No single player is a cure-all to everything, and you don’t suddenly put one player in and win every game, but I think without doubt when you see how we lost a couple of games this season.
“I’m particularly talking about our two home games – you do kind of think it wouldn’t have taken much more authority or calmness on the field for those to have been not comfortable, but they could have easily turned our way.
“So, when you look at it that way, that obviously puts a big difference on the perspective of the season,” admitted Chiefs boss Rob Baxter, who has rung the changes in an effort to end their winless streak.
Scott Sio is named captain, while Richard Capstick moves alongside Franco Molina in the second row with Jacques Vermeulen returning from injury while Will Becconsall starts at scrum half for the first time this season.
Exeter: Josh Hodge, Olly Woodburn, Henry Slade, Will Rigg, Paul Brown-Bampoe, Will Haydon-Wood, Will Becconsall; Scott Sio (c), Dan Frost, Ehren Painter, Franco Molina, Richard Capstick, Ross Vintcent, Jacques Vermeulen, Greg Fisilau.
Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Will Goodrick-Clarke, Marcus Street, Rusi Tuima, Ethan Roots, Stu Townsend, Harvey Skinner, Ben Hammersley.
Latest Comments
Smith is more of a running threat than Ford, but he's bad at linking with his forward pods and building attacks over multiple phases.
England's attack was poor against New Zealand. It was good against Japan, because they gave Smith space to run, but the next most recent test started by Smith at 10 was the absolutely dire 1st test against Wales last summer. Before that was the terrible loss against France in the 2023 six nations.
Lets compare the points scored by England in the most recent tests started by Ford and Smith at 10 against each tier 1 side:
Ireland:
Smith 15, Ford 23
South Africa:
Smith 13, Ford 12
New Zealand:
Smith 17, Ford 19
France:
Smith 10, Ford 31
Argentina:
Smith 29, Ford 27
Scotland:
Smith 23, Ford 21
Italy:
Smith 33, Ford 27
Australia:
Smith 21, Ford 40
Wales:
Smith 9, Ford 16
Thats 5 matchups where Ford comes on top, and 4 where Smith does. The points average is 18.9 for Smith and 24 for Ford.
Looking just at matches against other top 5 sides, its 3 to 1 for Ford, and points averages of 13.8 for Smith and 21.3 for Ford.
Go to commentsExactly and you must consider the standard of team mates to work out how good the individual is. You are saying that ALL the NZ 2015 squad would eb eligible for consideration yet not Dupont? Sounds ridiculous and is.
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