Slade to start for Exeter a week after playing in World Cup final
Henry Slade has been named in the Exeter Chiefs starting XV to face Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership tomorrow, just over a week after coming off the bench for England in the World Cup final.
Slade played for half an hour in Yokohama, replacing George Ford, and was also used off the bench in England’s semi-final win over New Zealand.
His sole start in Japan came in the quarter-final victory over Australia in Oita, with Slade notably laying on an impressive assist for England wing Jonny May.
The Exeter back played a total of 167 minutes in Japan, the 19th-highest total of the 32 players used by Eddie Jones.
Slade is one of three players from England’s match-day 23 that lost to South Africa who feature in the Premiership this weekend.
Scrum-half Ben Spencer has been named on the Saracens bench to face Gloucester at Kingsholm today after flying out to Japan solely for the World Cup final.
The other player, Luke Cowandickie – who started against the United States and was used by
England in five matches off the bench – has been named on the Exeter bench along with England back Jack Nowell.
Nowell’s time in Japan was disrupted due to his recovery from injury, leading to him only playing for 12 minutes against Argentina. New signing Jack Singleton is also named on the Saracens bench by Mark Mccall, the director of rugby, to face Gloucester, having played only 12 minutes for England at the World Cup against the US. All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo will make his debut for promoted side London Irish in their fixture against Leicester Tigers tomorrow, as the Exiles eye their second win of the season after narrowly losing to Saracens 16-13 last weekend. Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that England would tour Japan in July 2020 for two Tests.
Eddie Jones’s side, who finished runners-up to South Africa at the World Cup this month, will face Japan in Oita on July 4 and in Kobe on July 11. However, they are likely to leave several of their firstchoice players behind to ensure they stay within playing time guidelines.