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The verdict from England on naming Slade and Lawrence at midfield
By Liam Heagney
Steve Borthwick has outlined why he felt compelled to name Henry Slade in an England midfield partnership with Ollie Lawrence. The Exeter and Bath centres will combine as starters for just the fifth occasion on Sunday versus Italy in the Guinness Six Nations – and the first time since the July 2021 win over the USA at Twickenham.
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The reunification of the Slade/Lawrence combination came after new England head coach Borthwick decided against starting Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell together for a ninth successive Test match as the 10/12 partnership.
Dismissed head coach Eddie Jones had originally toyed with that 10/12 alliance in November 2021 against the Wallabies but the tactic was put on hold after Farrell was injured. It was rekindled on the three-Test tour to Australia last July and maintained across the entire four-game Autumn Nations Series.
Borthwick persisted with its use in his first game in charge of England last week, but the 23-29 defeat to Scotland has finally forced a rethink and the team will now line up against the Azzurri with Farell named at out-half and Lawrence and Slade combining in the centres.
It was against Georgia in November 2020 when this midfield partnership was first used, Slade wearing 12 and Lawrence 13 in that match and again in the following weekend’s win over Ireland. When it came to playing Scotland in the 2021 Six Nations, the numbers were reversed with Slade wearing 13 and Lawrence 12.
They were next in those same positions for the summer series match against the Americans and now, 19 months on, they have been reunited as the starting England 12/13. Asked to explain why he believed that Lawrence and Slade together was the best way to tackle Italy at the weekend, Borthwick said: “I’m not going to give too much about the tactics away but in terms of a dynamic, having Henry Slade available this week has been very important.
“He was unavailable last week and having his distribution skills, we have all seen that, and his left foot kicking option is also a great strength. Any team that has the ability to have right and left kickers in the back line, it’s a strength.
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“And then as I look at different defensive systems, Ollie Lawrence brings a certain skill set and he has been bringing that skill set – we would all agree watching the Premiership this season he has been tremendous. So I want him to bring that skill set that he has and the way that he carries the ball and the way he also defends in a physical manner that he does.”
While Borthwick had exited the England setup under Jones to take charge at Leicester by the time Lawrence first came on the international scene, he had worked with Slade while he was an assistant Test-level coach. That previous experience has now enabled Borthwick to compare the Slade then with the Slade that is back in England XV and he was enthused by the player’s development over the years.
“I look back to some of the games in the first part I was in the England team as an assistant coach, Henry played in some very important games and he brought his strengths. I have been out of the team for two or three years and coming back, I can’t tell you how impressed I have been with him.
“The conversations I have had with him, the determination he has had to be in this team, the concern he had when he had the red card (last month with Exeter) that was then rescinded, his concern of not being available to play for England and then, unfortunately, it led to an injury.
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“Just seeing how passionate he is about wanting to play for England, he is clearly more experience now, he is a really seasoned campaigner but at international and club level and he has an outstanding skill set.”
