Henry Slade axed as Steve Borthwick names England squad for Rugby World Cup
Henry Slade, one of the most gifted players of his generation, has been axed from Steve Borthwick’s Rugby World Cup squad.
The Exeter Chiefs star learned his fate the morning after England crashed to their third straight defeat - well beaten by Wales in Cardiff.
Slade, who steered England to a Junior World Cup before helping Eddie Jones’ senior side reach the 2019 final, was widely regarded as a selection certainty.
Named on the bench at the weekend he was expected to reprise his Six Nations midfield starting role in England’s remaining warm-up matches. The 30-year old has 56 caps to his name and was an England vice-captain under Borthwick’s predecessor Eddie Jones.
But the current boss had other ideas after seeing Joe Marchant impress on both sides of the ball in an otherwise dismal team display at the Principality Stadium.
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Marchant, who joins Paris outfit Stade Francais next season, therefore gets to make an earlier than expected trip across the Channel, leaving Slade to ponder where it all went wrong.
Marchant, 27, is joined by Lewis Ludlam, who also kept his head on Saturday night while too many others were losing theirs, and is rewarded with a place in Borthwick’s official 33.
Alex Dombrandt, Tom Pearson, Jamie Blamire and Tom Willis have all been culled ahead of England’s departure at the end of the month and their all-important opening game against Argentina in Marseille.
Happier times: Slade scores two tries against Ireland in Dublin in 2019 (Getty)Even before Slade’s shock omission Kyle Sinckler was telling anyone who cared to listen that there are no guarantees in elite sport.
Two summers ago England’s first-choice prop was burned by British and Irish Lions’ non-selection and says it taught him “never to take anything for granted”.
He added: “That Lions experience taught me never to assume. I was like ‘I’m never ever again going to have that little voice in my head saying ‘you'll be alright’.”
Sinckler ended up making the tour to South Africa due to an injury to Irish rival Andrew Porter, but the whole episode left its mark.
“It was like an ex dumping you and then you're getting over it and all of a sudden she wants you back,” he said. “It's about having humility and respect for the game. Rugby can humble you very quickly.”
England know that feeling today. Five months after winning in Cardiff in the Six Nations, they were embarrassed at the Principality, failing to muster a try against a team beaten in six of its previous seven Tests.
Gatland blooded five new caps and was amazed at how easily his Welsh rookies shut out England in the second 40.
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“I felt some of the English boys were blowing a bit just before half-time,” he said. “The last 20 minutes we just looked comfortable.”
That is a damning assessment and one Borthwick, in his World Cup selection, would appear to share.
ENGLAND RWC SQUAD:
Backs: Freddie Steward, Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Henry Arundell, Ollie Lawrence, Manu Tuilagi, Marcus Smith, Owen Farrell (capt), George Ford, Ben Youngs, Danny Care, Jack van Poortvliet.
Forwards: Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd, Will Stuart, Kyle Sinckler, Dan Cole, Jamie George, Theo Dan, Jack Walker, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Ollie Chessum, David Ribbans, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Jack Willis, Billy Vunipola.
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