Chiefs can really be big daddies this season

HENRY Slade is expecting big changes at Sandy Park after lockdown – not least a club creche!

- NEALE HARVEY

Exeter Chiefs centre Slade and his partner Megan are expecting their first child in 12 weeks, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has just had his first and winger Jack Nowell is expecting his second.

Slade says: “Before the lockdown myself and other guys like Luke and Jack Nowell were saying how we’d always been the younger lads of the team, but now only a few guys at the club have been around for longer.”

“The baby will bring a new dimension to my life – but I don’t want to be seen as an old boy!”

Slade, 27, also knows he will miss another of those older players, his longstanding Chiefs midfield comrade Sam Hill, below.

Slade adds: “It’s going to be a strange time with many players changing sides and I’m sorry to see Sam go to Sale. I played against him since I was ten and played with him since we were 14 or 15, so that’s been a long stint with one of my closest mates.”

Looking further head, Slade is convinced England’s potent mix of strength-in-depth and a drive for constant improvement will see Eddie Jones’ side eventually conquer the world.

Having twice suffered World Cup heartbreak in 2015 and 2019, gifted Exeter midfielder Slade is determined to be around to make it third time lucky at France 2023.

November’s final defeat to South Africa in Yokohama was a bitter pill to swallow, but Slade told