A FOURCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
Slade is one of the few people to have enjoyed 2020 as he eyes a fourth trophy in just 50 days
HENRY SLADE knows he is living the dream and he is not about to pinch himself.
In what has been an awful year for so many, the Exeter Chiefs star has enjoyed as rich a run of success as rugby has known.
Last month he lifted the European Cup, the Premiership and the Six Nations on successive weekends, scoring tries in all three ‘ finals’.
Now he is two England wins from making it four major trophies in 50 days by adding the Autumn Nations Cup to his haul.
“It ’ s been a pretty awesome year,” admitted Slade. “It could have been a bit better with people there to watch it. Apart from that, it has been unbelievable.”
Slade’s golden run has played out against a backdrop of disruption, uncertainty and tragedy across the world.
Yet for a player who has had his fair share of bad luck with injuries and type 1 diabetes, the year has brought great joy.
The first lockdown bought him time to recover from a broken leg, pushing back the domestic season and Six Nations until he was fit to take part. It also allowed him to savour becoming a dad when partner Megan gave birth to daughter Olive.
And now a match on Saturday against Wales, followed in all probability by a final against France, stands between the 27-year-old and a perfect 2020.
“It is pretty strange circumstances,” Slade conceded. “It’ll never happen again when you have them all back-toback and the Six Nations in October.
“So, for us to have done that was awesome – three on the bounce is something thing I will probably never get to do again and something hing I will cherish forever.”
Slade could not have imagined such good fortune ortune when England lost the World Cup final a year ago and nd he returned home to fracture cture his ankle in a club game. me. But fate then intervened. ed.
“If any time was a good time for a lockdown, yeah, I suppose pose it gave me a chance to get rid of some niggles,” he said. aid.
“I was just coming back from a broken leg and d it was probably still a little ttle bit sore, so to have that at time off and to get fully ly sorted was good.
“Lockdown was s almost like a mini sabbatical. It was f r ust ra t i n g not knowing when or if f the season was going to o restart, but we didn’t ’t let that get in the way. ay.
“We knuckled ed down, got some hard work done and reaped aped the benefits later on.” n.”
England today name their side to face Wales and Ollie Lawrence’s e’s hip injury means a new w midfield midade. partner for Slade.