Slade: We have to be all in this together

THE importance of playing what’s in front of you rather than on reputation alone is not lost on Henry Slade, Exeter Chiefs’ most experienced Champions Cup player, as the Premiership’s only winless team prepare to take on sixtime winners and reigning champions Toulouse.

- JON NEWCOMBE

Toulouse have internationals in virtually every position, including the French half-back pairing of Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, and showed exactly why they have lifted the trophy a record six times and are favourites to do so again in destroying Ulster 61-21 on the opening weekend.

For a Chiefs team light on European rugby, that might present a psychological problem. However, Slade is back from England duty to lend his experience and guide the young charges around him.

Slade and veteran hooker Jack Yeandle are the only players still around from the double-winning season of 2019-20, which included a behind-closed-doors win over Toulouse. With over 50 appearances at this level under their belts, they’ve played more games of Champions Cup rugby between them than the whole matchday 23 that fell to a 39-21 defeat to the Sharks in Durban last week.