"Pretty Good Combination" - Exeter v Bath: Rob Baxter Backs Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence for England's Centres
Rugby NewsWednesday, 29 November 2023 at 11:12
Exeter Chiefs Head Coach Rob Baxter is delighted in the recent form shown by Henry Slade, as the centre pushes for a return to the England squad for the 2024 Six Nations. Baxter's side take on Bath Rugby this Saturday, with a key battle taking shape between Slade and Bath centre Ollie Lawrence.
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With Joe Marchant out of the England fold following his move to Stade Francais, a vacancy has opened up in Steve Borthwick's midfield, that both Slade and Lawrence have been stating their claims for. The two centres have had excellent starts to the Premiership season, and are set to clash at the Recreation Ground this weekend.
Henry Slade of Exeter Chiefs on the break during the Gallagher Premiership match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park, Exeter on 19th Nov 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
However, despite the narrative of the duo contesting for the England jersey, Baxter believes that the two midfielders could instead form a strong test match partnership.
"It's obviously going to be interesting, isn't it? Because I actually think both of them are on form, aren't they. Their playing very well. I think Slade is showing the form that he showed in the past, that got him selected for England. So I'm obviously delighted from a club point of view and for 'Sladey', he's showing such good form.
"But then, so is Ollie Lawrence. He's started with a real bang hasn't he, coming back from the World Cup. I can understand why people think it's an intriguing battle. But let's remember that there are two centre slots, in an England team. And to me, they would look like a pretty good combination. So, you know, and maybe that both of them playing well, and both of them having a good game this weekend, gives them both great opportunities.
Try Celebrations for Ollie Lawrence of Bath Rugby as he goes over for a try during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Bath Rugby at Kingsholm Stadium on 10 November 2023 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
"Personally for me, I hope Sladey has a fantastic game, and Ollie Lawrence has a bit of a stinker on the weekend. But from a positional and playing point of view, I think they're two guys who obviously have still got a lot to offer internationally, and will be very, very keen, to show their qualities in what is a top four clash.
"So I think it's going to be one of the key areas of the game. And as I said, I think I think Slade is more than ready for it."
Rus Tuima of Exeter Chiefs is tackled by Jacob Atkins of London Irish during the Premiership Rugby Cup Final match between London Irish and Exeter Chiefs at The Gtech Community Stadium, London on 19 March 2023 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Another Exeter player who has been generating quite the buzz, is 23-year-old Rus Tuima. The powerhouse has really come into his own in the early goings of this season, after a break-out year in Exeter's triumphant 2022 Premiership Rugby Cup campaign. Having gained international recognition at England U18s and U20s, and first team exposure in a loan to Cornish Pirates, Tuima is one of the fastest rising talents in the Premiership, with the discussion growing around his Engand contention.
The Fijian-born forward has been moved up the ranks for the Chiefs, with his raised pecking order coinciding in his shift from back-row to lock. Baxter talked about the decision to put Tuima in the row, where he has since been thriving in the English top flight.
Rusi Tuima of Exeter Chiefs on the break during the Premiership Rugby Cup match between Exeter Chiefs and Cornish Pirates at Sandy Park, Exeter on 16th Sept 2023. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
"I think it's been a good move for Rusi. I think the big thing it does is that it allows his strengths to look like real strengths. Because it allows things like his ball carrying and his physicality and defence, and the quality of his handling, etc, they look like kind of highlights for a second row. Whereas maybe sometimes when he plays in the back-row, there's not quite enough of them in the game to look like highlights. Because people expect, or are waiting for other things to happen. The big breaks or big moments, or say the big turnovers on the floor.
"Where as when you're playing in the lock, you know, if our set piece goes well, his aerial skills are improving all the time. If our scrum goes well, and our line-out goes well, you know, you see this big guy coming up with these carriers or coming up with these moments, and it starts to look like a good package for a lock. I think that's what's really benefited him.
Try Celebrations for Rus Tuima of Exeter Chiefs as he goes over for a try during the Premiership Rugby Cup match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park on 4 December 2022. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"Will he get enough time to grow towards the England squad, that's a little bit early for me to say. I think the important thing for him, he's in that really interesting situation for a young player to just focus on the day to day. Not even the week to week, focus on the day to day, that's what's getting him in our team. That's what's allowing us to be a team, that's functioning around him.
"That's ultimately what eventually gets you to your goals and your dreams, is getting the team there. I think that's what he's got to do, he's just got to get his head down, work hard, keep doing what he's doing, and who knows where his journey may take him."
Exeter Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter during the Gallagher Premiership match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park, Exeter on 19th Nov 2023. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
Exeter ended their 13-month search for a win away from home in the Premiership, with their victory last Sunday against Newcastle Falcons. The Chiefs enjoyed the long journey back home to Devon, yet are back on the road for their next two matches. Exeter head up to Somerset for this weekend's West Country clash with Bath, before jetting off the France in their opening Champions Cup fixture against Toulon.
Baxter is delighted to see his squad end their losing streak on the road, and he believes that it has worked wonders for the Chiefs' mentality ahead of back-to-back away trips.
Henry Slade of Exeter Chiefs kicks the penalty to win the match and Exeter Chiefs players celebrate the win during the Gallagher Premiership match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park, Exeter on 19th Nov 2023. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
"We've broken that kind of 'away duck' now, which is very important for us. I think that's probably given us a bit of confidence in the kind of way you need to play. But the biggest thing you need to have away from home, is you need to have a little bit of confidence in what you do, and how you play. That protects you a little bit and makes things tough for the opposition. I think we did that for the first time really well against Newcastle, and actually we did it better in Newcastle than we've done in a couple of home games.
"Despite us winning at home, we probably had a little bit more in attack, or we've got away with a few things that we haven't been getting away with, away from home. But on the whole, the Newcastle game proved that there's elements of control when you get into a game, that is going to be huge against Bath.
Bath work to control elements in the game, we've got to work just as hard to control elements in the game and see what comes out of it. Tou could see that in the Bath v Sale game.
Bath work to control elements in the game, we've got to work just as hard to control elements in the game and see what comes out of it. Tou could see that in the Bath v Sale game.
Alfie Barbeary of Bath Rugby is tackled by Josh Caulfield of Bristol Bears during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Bristol Bears at the Recreation Ground on 17 November 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"I almost think both teams cancelled themselves out, for large parts of the game. Both teams kind of went toe-to-toe in the middle of the pitch, and it took quite a long time for either team to get an ascendancy. So you can kind of tell, if you can match them in areas of the game, around a set piece and in that middle third, and run a little bit of a territory battle, you can keep yourself in the game. We've got to make sure that we get those bits 100% right, and we keep ourselves in the game, we couldn't do that in the Prem Cup."
As Baxter mentioned, the last meeting between Exeter and Bath came in the Premiership Rugby Cup ahead of the season. Bath ran out an impressive 34-17 win over the Chiefs, to close out the pool stage and set out into the Premiership in hot form. Baxter continued to discuss the side's shortcomings in that match, and how it was quite the wake up call ahead of the 2023/24 Premiership season.
Christ Tshiunza of Exeter Chiefs and Jack Yeandle of Exeter Chiefs looks dejected after losing during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs at the Recreation Ground on 26 March 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"Our physicality and our energy in the game didn't allow us to (win). Baxter added. "We've got to address that first, and then we've got to make sure we look to take some opportunities to keep the score-board ticking over.
"As I said to the lads 'We've got to be playing in every Premiership game with the expectation that the very least we can do, is get a bonus point', because that's so close you have to be. You have to in and around the team to give yourself a chance to win, and we want to make sure we're well focused on that, on the weekend."
Ted Hill of Bath Rugby wins the line out during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs at the Recreation Ground on 26 March 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"Actually, in hindsight, it hasn't worked out too bad for us, because it gave us a bit of a slap in the face going into the Premiership. It did mean we started off flat-out in the Premiership, and we did we start with a real bang, real fire, real presence about us because we'd had that slap in the face."
Bath fly half Finn Russell has also had a confident start to his time in the Premiership, after arriving from Racing 92. Baxter spoke about how his side is more than aware of the talented Scotland talisman, yet are not planning to enforce strict defensive measures to stop his game. The Exeter Director of Rugby believes that this can sometimes play to the favour of the Scottish halfback.
Finn Russell of Bath Rugby during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Match between Bath Rugby and Newcastle Falcons at the Recreation Ground on 14 October 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"I think in a way, you've got to be a bit careful, because I think that's probably his strength, is that when he becomes the bit you go after, that's probably what allows him all his options. Because, he creates the options elsewhere. Obviously, we've talked about him, and we want to make sure he feels like he's under pressure.
"But, I don't think you can do that with any particular individual plan. To keep halfbacks under pressure, you have to challenge at the breakdown, you have to challenge at the set piece, you have to obviously maintain a level of line speed and line integrity around him. So we've talked through those elements, but they're elements we talk about every week, in trying to keep teams under pressure.
Finn Russell of Bath Rugby offloads last Mayco Vivas of Gloucester Rugby during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Bath Rugby at Kingsholm Stadium on 10 November 2023 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
"I don't know if there's a special plan you could put in place for him." Baxter continued. "Don't forget, we've defended against him before, when he played at Racing, we defended against kind of maverick almost, incredibly individual players, when we played in big Heineken Cup games, and we've always taken the approach, that it's never going to be one person taking the responsibility. It's always going to be the four or five guys nearest the ball. That's very much what will push this weekend."
Finn Russell has been one such player who made a recent club move against the flow of traffic. With many of the Premiership's top talents crossing the channel in favour of France, it was refreshing to see Russell chose the English top division over the Top 14 when his move was announced last Summer. Baxter discussed how this is a positive sign that the Premiership is getting back to it's former strengths, as after Sandy Park's mass exodus, Chiefs fans are now seeing a crop of talented young players rise through the ranks.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso of Exeter Chiefs looks on during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs at Franklins Gardens, Northampton on 12 November 2023. - PHOTO: Patrick Khachfe/PPAUK
"I'm very confident that you will see the Premiership become one of the top leagues in world rugby again, if people think it's slipped off that now. You know, we're only going through like a patch, and it's as I said before, you know, it's the responsibility of all of us involved in the game to get us back on a growth pattern."
"You know, every time senior players move on or leave the league, there's a vacuum that gets filled with young and exciting talent. I've probably seen more column inches now talked about, say 'Manny', Immanuel Feyi-Waboso than any other young player I've seen for quite a while. Because, there's a vacuum that's being filled and, is he a guy who fills it for either for England or for Wales?
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso of Exeter Chiefs during the Gallagher Premiership match between Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby at Sandy Park, Exeter on 19th Nov 2023. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
"There's a fair bit being written about Henry Arundell playing in France, his future looks like it's back in England. I think you're going to see plenty of young, emerging talent come through in this period. As you've had a group of senior players who potentially are looking abroad, but the guys who are potentially looking abroad are guys, who've kind of done well in the Premiership already. Their time has been and gone.
"This is not an emerging 21, 22-year-old diving over to France is there. I think that's what we should encourage. That's what should encourage us."
"A load of clubs have some top young talent coming through, and that's what we want to see. That's what the Premiership needs to evolve over these growth cycles.
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Greatest rugby union XV of all-time:
15. Serge Blanco (France)
The French icon’s international career with France saw the flamboyant fullback perform various outlandish levels of skill while winning Five Nation Grand Slams in 1981 and 1987 as well as four further titles.
Blanco was a threat from everywhere on the field and often took risks that we very rarely see nowadays. In total, he won 93 caps for France during his 11-year international career between 1980 and 1991, which was a record when he retired.
He also scored an imposing 233 points and is a true legend of the sport.
Did you know: Images of Blanco’s on-field heroics can always be viewed ironically alongside images of him strutting along the touchline nursing a cigarette.
Honourable mentions: JPR Williams (Wales), Jason Robinson (England), Percy Montgomery (South Africa)
14. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
The New Zealander remains the joint all-time top try scorer at the Rugby World Cup along with Bryan Habana, crossing the whitewash on 15 different occasions across the 1995 and 1999 tournaments.
The easiest selection in a greatest ever XV.
Originally of Tongan descent, it was Lomu who made it glamorous to be a big, bruising winger, even though his stature could have easily seen him fill in at centre or somewhere in the pack.
Much like the Juggernaut of the Marvel Universe, there wasn’t much that could stop Lomu once he’d gotten into a stride.
Did you know: In September 2009, Lomu took part in an amateur bodybuilding contest, finishing second in two categories
Honourable mentions: Bryan Habana (South Africa), Doug Howlett (New Zealand), Shane Williams (Wales)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
The former Ireland and British and Irish Lions Skipper Brian O’Driscoll was one of the most consistent performers in the world for over a decade.
He hung up his boots in 2014 after accumulating 133 caps for Ireland with a fantastic return of 245 points. In the emerald green, he triumphed in the Six Nations in 2009 (Grand Slam) and 2014 as well as being chosen as Player of the Tournament in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
The Dublin-born is also the highest all-time Irish record try scorer with an incredible 46 scores, and also led his country more times than any other player.
Did you know: O'Driscoll was chosen as Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009 RBS Six Nations Championships.
Honourable mentions: Jeremy Guscott (England), Will Greenwood (England), Frank Bunce (New Zealand)
12. Tim Horan (Australia)
Only a handful of players has won the Rugby World Cup Twice and power-packed runner Tim Horan is one of them, triumphing in 1991 and 1999 with Australia.
He made his international debut in 1989 against the All Blacks and would go on to make 80 caps, scoring 30 tries, in an impressive 11-year career.
Did you know: Horan’s father is Mike Horan, the former National Party and Liberal National Party Member of Parliament for the Queensland electorate of Toowoomba South.
Honourable mentions: Phillipe Sella (France), Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand), Brian Lima (Samoa)
11. David Campese (Australia)
Capped by Australia on more than 100 occasions and scorer of 64 international tries, David Campese was once the world’s top scorer, but now has to settle for the honour of second place.
To summarise, if there was even the slightest bit of daylight between the try-line and his opposite man, Campese was as good as over.
Whether it was by use of his patented "goose-step" or with use of the more archaic barrelling motion, the Wallabies legend was simply a magnet for scoring.
Beginning his international career at just 19 years of age, it was clear early on that Australia had a special talent on their hands, and the early start allowed Campese to repay his selectors massively down the years.
Did you know: Campese was also a renowned rugby sevens player. He made 12 appearances at the Hong Kong Sevens (1983-1990, 1993–94, 97-98), during which he played in three victorious Australian campaigns ('83, '85 & '88)
10. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
Forever remembered as the man whose last-gasp drop-goal won England the Rugby World Cup by edging past the hosts in Australia in 2003.
That moment is just one highlight of a record-breaking career that has seen Wilkinson rise to one of the sport’s all-time greats.
England won 67 of the 91 games Wilkinson played in with him scoring an outstanding total of 1,179 points. He also holds the Rugby World Cup points record with 277.
Did you know: In 1997 he gave up the student life to become a professional rugby union player with the Newcastle Falcons.
Honourable mentions: Dan Carter (New Zealand), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Michael Lynagh (Australia)
9. Gareth Edwards (Wales)
The former Wales and British and Irish Lions scrum-half is simply the greatest player in his position in history. Edwards is also considered by many to be one of the greatest rugby players of all time.
He was notorious for his pace but also had an unexpected strength for a leaner player. He made 53 caps for Wales as well as making ten appearances for the British & Irish Lions, featuring on tours in 1968, 1971 and 1974.
The second tour, to New Zealand, is still the only victorious Lions tour to the Land of the Long White Cloud. During the third, to South Africa in 1974, was the greatest ever Lions jaunt, in which the tourists played 22 matches and remained unbeaten.
An obvious pick for the greatest rugby union XV of all-time.
Did you know: In 2004 a statue of Gareth Edwards was erected in the St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff, as a memorial to his magnificent play for the country.
Honourable mentions: Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa), George Gregan (Australia)
1. Jason Leonard (England)
Leonard was 21 when he debuted in 1990, the first of what would become a record 119 caps for both England and the British & Irish Lions.
He is still the most capped player in World Cup history with 22 appearances in four tournaments.
He was both durable – he once played 40 consecutive Tests in the 1990s – and versatile as proven by his switch from loosehead to tighthead prop later in his career.
He was a member of the team that lost the World Cup final to Australia in 1991 but gained revenge against the same opponents 12 years later in the final in Sydney.
Did you know: His lengthy career straddled both the amateur and professional eras and he had a job as a carpenter.
Honourable mentions: Jason Leonard (England), Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina), Steve McDowell (New Zealand)
2. Keith Wood (Ireland)
The force of nature Wood was a dominant figure in the Irish front row.
Wood made his international debut in 1994 against Australia and was capped 58 times for Ireland up until his retirement in 2003.
He played on the 1997 and 2001 Lions tours and was the inaugural winner of the IRB World Player of the Year award in 2001, seeing off competition from the likes of Geroge Gregan and Jonny Wilkinson.
Did you know: Wood now works for the BBC and The Daily Telegraph as a freelance journalist.
Honourable mentions: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), John Smit (South Africa), Mario Ledesma (Argentina)
3. Graham Price (Wales)
A member of the feared Pontypool front-row known as the Viet Gwent, alongside hooker Bobby Windsor and loose head Charlie Faulkner, and all three played during one of Wales’ most successful eras.
But it was Price who was the bedrock of the great Welsh pack of the 1970s. He won 41 caps for his country and his 12 consecutive Test starts for the Lions remains a record for a prop forward.
Price had a fearsome reputation as a thinking scrummager but was also ahead of his time with his mobility, scoring a stunning try against France in Paris during his debut in 1975 after sprinting 80m in support of winger JJ Williams before scooping up the ball and plunging over the line.
4. Martin Johnson (England)
Iconic England legend Johnson is widely regarded as one of the greatest locks to have ever played the game.
He famously led England to glory at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and also captained the British & Irish Lions in 1997 and 2001 – the first player to have ever led the elite tourists twice.
In a glittering career, Johnson was also part of two Grand Slam-winning England sides in 1995 and again as the Skipper in 2003.
Did you know: Johnson was awarded an OBE by The Queen in 1997 but later honoured with a CBE in the aftermath of England’s Rugby World Cup triumph in 2003.
Honourable mentions: Victor Matfield (South Africa), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Colin Meads (New Zealand)
5. John Eales (Australia)
Perfect is a hard word to describe someone as but John Eales was not far off.
He had pretty much every skill the modern-day rugby play requires and was a born match winner. A true Australian sporting legend, Eales won two World Cups and played 86 times for his country, 55 times as captain.
Rarely for a forward, he was also a goal-kicker, with his most memorable strike being a sideline penalty goal in the final minutes of a 2000 test to win the Bledisloe Cup against New Zealand.
Did you know: He also played first-grade cricket for Queensland University in the Brisbane QCA cricket competition.
6. Francois Pienaar (South Africa)
Springbok Captain Pienaar is famous for leading South Africa to triumph in the World Cup in 1995.
Despite only making 29 Caps, each was as Captain, and he showed to the world his considerable rugby skills.
Not only did Pienaar’s side topple a heavily fancied All Blacks team in front of an expectant South Africa population, but they also managed in their small way to bring together South Africa’s post-apartheid society
Did you know: After being dropped from the Springbok team Pienaar went on to have a career with English club Saracens.
Honourable mentions: Richard Hill (England), Jerry Collins (New Zealand), Jerome Kaino (New Zealand)
7. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
McCaw was a skilled and hardworking rugby player, known for his abilities at the breakdown and his dynamic running.
He developed excellent handling skills and was a key link man on the field, with the athleticism and ball-carrying ability to consistently break the line.
McCaw was also a fearless and outstanding exponent at the breakdown throughout his career. In addition to his impressive skills on the field, he was also a respected leader.
He achieved legendary status by leading the All Blacks to victory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and he continued to break records and lead the team for four more years, winning the Webb Ellis trophy for a second time.
Honourable mentions: George Smith (Australia), Neil Back (England) Schalk Burger (South Africa)
8. Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
He was an effective forward but also had top-class handling skills and a trustworthy boot making him quite the unique player.
During his international career that spanned a decade from 1987 to 1997, he played in two World Cups in 1991 and 1995 scoring an unforgettable drop goal from 47 metres out against England in the latter.
Brooke in total played 58 tests for New Zealand, scoring 89 points. An obvious pick for the greatest rugby union XV of all-time.
Did you know: As well as rugby union, Brooke played Gaelic football, both before and after his rugby career.
Honourable mentions: Sergio Parisse (Italy), Lawrence Dallaglio (England), Wayne Shelford (New Zealand)
Quiz! Can you name every club that has played in the Premiership?
London Welsh were the last new team to play in the Gallagher Premiership back in 2011 – can you name the others?
You have five minutes to name every club to have played in the Gallagher Premiership, all 28 of them, since the division was established back in 1987.
Good luck, and let us know how you do
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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