We value your privacy

We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as cookies and process personal data, such as unique identifiers and standard information sent by a device for personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, and audience insights, as well as to develop and improve products.

With your permission we and our partners may use precise geolocation. You may click to consent to our and our partners’ processing as described above. Please note that some processing of your personal data may not require your consent, but you have a right to object to such processing.

More Options

Sun 1 Feb 2015 | 02:54
Slade and Wade score as England Saxons defeat Irish Wolfhounds in Cork

16
Comments

Henry Slade and Christian Wade scored tries as the England Saxons beat the Irish Wolfhounds 18-9 in Cork on Friday night. Slade, Henry Thomas and Sam Burgess have since been called up the senior England squad ahead of the Six Nations.

Flyhalf Slade scored 13 points in what was a stop-start affair that featured a lowkey international debut for former League star Burgess. Slade kicked 8 points and scored the first try, while Leinster number ten Ian Madigan kicked three penalties for the hosts.

It was tight late in the game, with the Saxons leading just 11-9 before winger Wade crossed in the last minute to seal victory.

Following the match Slade, prop Thomas and centre Burgess have been promoted to train with the senior England squad this week. Slade will provide cover for inured Bath centre Kyle Eastmond, while Thomas will cover club teammate David Wilson.

Sam Burgess will join the squad to help with his transition into top flight rugby union.

"Sam will just come into camp for two days to further his rugby experience before returning to Bath on Monday evening to get more game time with the club over the next few weeks," said England head coach Stuart Lancaster.

"He is still learning the game and this is an opportunity to help his development."

Below is a quick look at the two tries that were scored on the night. On page two you can view a post match chat with top points scorer Slade.

credit: sky sports

credit: Exeter Chiefs

Posted By: Grant Constable

16 Comments

  • connachtman
    2:59 PM 03/02/2015

    A dour game to watch,, I turned over after 30 minutes.... crach bang rugby is just too dull to watch.

  • 2:21 AM 03/02/2015

    Put him at 6. I'll coach him up

    Lineout: sam when u here this code, lift the bloke in front of you, yes, like that, but not so high.

    Scrum: Push on that blokes butt with you shoulder, watch the ball thru the scrums feet, both offense and defense, until it gets to the 8, then have a peak. Doh, you just wheeled the scrum!

    Kickoff, run down and wreck someone, receiving, lift that bloke so he can catch the ball, no dont throw him.

    Breakdown, smash that guy trying to steal the ball. Defense, smash that guy back trying to protect the ball.

    Open play, support the ball, use your instincts, follow it around the field on offense, support the ball carrier, yes take that offload and score.

    Defense at the ruck, smash that crashing forward, whoops, use your arms! Oh by the way, when you hold him up, dont let him play the ball, stop squeeszing when the ref says so.

    look big boy, just follow the flow of play and pop in where you can. Dont worry about placing yourself in position to get the ball or defend, just go get it and smash those with it, dont worry about the complexities of defending the midfield channel.

    Easy peasy

  • eddie-g
    6:21 PM 02/02/2015

    My "favourite" League to Union bust is Iestyn Harris. Excellent League player, but thrown straight in at 10 and expected to revitalize Wales? Pipe-dream.

    On Folau, he took a good year to acclimate to Union. When he started out at the Waratahs - especially when at fullback - he was picked on for his positional errors. Last year he really came into his own, I would agree, probably the best fullback in the world with ball in hand, but it took a while for the Aussie selectors to get comfortable putting him at fullback.

    Interesting observation about age, I guess Burgess is coming into his prime right now, so the "fast-track" development is pretty necessary.

  • eddie-g
    6:08 PM 02/02/2015

    I have no problem with the idea of trying to fast-track a guy like Burgess who has all the physical attributes to make it as a Union player.

    What I question here is why he's training with the England squad instead of getting game time with Bath. Maybe he will be released to Bath, to my mind, what he most needs is time on the playing field.

  • drg
    2:55 PM 02/02/2015

    ....yeh... it was one of those wonderful team decisions. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed protecting my channel, but it was much like an earlier post you made on one video about smashing the ball carrier in a 2 on 1 and if he passes it then 'oh well, at least I smashed someone'... that seemed to be the case for a while..

    In fact I had nearly all but forgotten that game, I seem to recall I was scrumming at one point then having to end up on the wing quickly, then back into the scrums, into the lineouts... Really if I was getting paid then I should have got about 2-3 pay packets!

  • danknapp
    1:10 PM 02/02/2015

    I'm more than happy for Sam Burgess to be given time in the Saxons and training with the senior team, but he has to earn that shirt. He himself would be the first to admit as much. I have every hope that, with his ability in League, he will able to apply himself in Union. He needs time and exposure.

    I thought DrG's point about the English media (above) was right on the money. He needs as little limelight as possible at the moment to work on building his knowledge about the game. Ultimately it will be how much he can learn tactically which is going to decide whether or not he is able to make it.

    Great stats about age, always nice to put it into context.

  • 10stonenumber10
    1:08 PM 02/02/2015

    *few

  • 10stonenumber10
    1:06 PM 02/02/2015

    Again, wing is a misunderstood position. Like Eastmond and Farrell, you can only do something if the service is proper.

    You cover far more ground than a 10/12/13, and you are 'only as good as the rest of the line'. Anyone can defend in the middle of a line, your channel is a fairly consistent width, and face rarely more than a single phase of play before drifting.
    On the outside, if you are left with a 2 on 1 with nobody covering the ball carrier while you take the space, the only reason they don't score is because they mess up. This is why teams like New Zealand are so strong, as soon as the percentages are in their favour, no matter how slight, it is a certain score.

    As a back 3, working with the 13 and 15 is essential for defending outer channels and wide plays. Mike Brown was a very good call to cover the wing for England, when teams went wide on the other side, he could cover the other 3/4s of the field to cover 'the cover' in a cover situation, inception style.

    If you are left covering the 13s channel, teams will run round the outside of you all day. Wade seems to have sorted this side of his game out, defensively he is looking a lot better positioned, we all know what he can do going forwards... a dew more months to peak, and he could definitely be one for the world cup

  • stroudos
    12:55 PM 02/02/2015

    Well the 15% higher gate receipts would definitely help a club, but England sell out Twickenham without breaking sweat so that's a moot point at international level.

    I completely agree with you in principle.

    What I would say though, is someone like Burgess can demonstrate a few things that many of the other hard-working young centres perhaps can't. Chiefly, ability to handle pressure at the highest level; ability to withstand the higher physical intensity required.

    Cross-code switches can and have worked well in the past. Yeah, for every SBW there's a Vainikolo, but I would make one crucial distinction here: age.

    Israel Folau has migrated seamlessly through Aussie Rules, league and union - surely one of the best fullbacks in the world. (Should Folau have had to wait his turn on the "slow-track" because it's unfair on the other existing union players vying for the 15 shirt?).

    Andy Farrell moved to Union with a knackered back. One of my favourite things about Andy Farrell is that (at least this is what I read) he gave back the majority of his salary for his season at Saracens (co-funded by RFU), after spending seven months not able to play.

    Lesley Vainikolo came to union five years too old, a stone or two too heavy and with two rodgered knees.

    Feels like Sonny Bill's been around forever, yet he's still only 29.

    Big Sam still has time on his side, but at 26 I don't think he has time to get in via the slow track.

    Jason Robinson made his rugby union debut (at the same age 26) in November 2000 and for England only three months later in February 2001 - now that is "fast-tracking". Would we have this awesome moment otherwise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNdSX3j6TcE

  • stroudos
    12:16 PM 02/02/2015

    DrG:Yours truly was put out on the wing to cover because "you're younger and quicker than us lot"

    That was very kind / tactful of them! ;)


  • 10stonenumber10
    10:02 AM 02/02/2015

    Hopefully Slade will be one of those well known internationals. Cips, Ford and Myler are all very good players, but I have yet to see an england 10 grab a game and themselves by the scruff of the neck.

    He's not afraid of a cage-rattler either.

  • drg
    9:58 AM 02/02/2015

    I've been in this court for quite a while now. Unfortunately it's difficult to say the words without coming across as a 'nay sayer, hater, pessimist' etc...

    Rugby Union, and Rugby league share similar qualities, but they are, by definition, completely different games. Burgess has just become another fine example of how the games are not the same... The guy is a 'Champion', he's the epitome of league, he's won this and that... yet throw him into a Union game, and he's suddenly not a Champion... I don't quite understand how no one in the higher powers has cottoned onto how it isn't a straight swap.

    With your mention of business, finances etc, the problem with a Burgess 15% increase, is that it's going to be short lived. It is very apparent (and quite frightening) how the UK media is willing to execute someones future when the goods are not instantly produced - Even if everyone knows that it is just a matter of time.. What I'm getting at, is if you play Burgess in full England colours and England lose, then lose again, then lose again... the numbers will dwindle rapidly and that 15% will have been a waste of time.

    Burgess if a potential future option, but I'm with you, fast tracking someone based on the medals they received in a different game doesn't always have a habit of turning out for the best..

    Actually, speaking first hand, I remember a club game many years ago when I was due to play back row and we ended up losing our winger very early on (to a red or injury? Can't remember)... Yours truly was put out on the wing to cover because "you're younger and quicker than us lot"...the fact I'm a second row who gets the honour of being a back row player apparently doesn't get taken into account.. (of course this is amateur rugby) but bloody hell was I exposed as a fraudulent wing!

  • drg
    9:45 AM 02/02/2015

    Quite a set of star studded teams here...

    Both sides fielding a few quite well known internationals.

  • mise
    7:47 PM 01/02/2015

    basically, Rugbydump, most people want to see Sean O Brien tearing into Chris Ashton ...so if you could oblige, that would be 100% fantastic!

  • 10stonenumber10
    7:39 PM 01/02/2015

    Don't get me wrong, I back "Big Sammy B".

    What I don't back is the fast tracking of under developed players. What message does this send to young English centres when they put in the hard yards, only to be replaced by someone who literally doesn't know what they are doing. SBW had a year of Union under his Heavyweight Belt with egg-chasing galacticos before he put on the black jersey, and even then, he was rawer than the steak currently sat in my fridge.

    Like the Steffon Armitage/Robshaw debate, England and the media have invested too much time and money into Robbo and Burgess. At the end of the day, at the top end, rugby is a BUSINESS. You can guarantee a minimum 15% increase in crowd numbers when Burgess is about, the same with the Tuilagis, SBW, when Rico Gear was at Worcester etc.

    Realistically, if he comes up against a Conrad Smith sort of centre with a lifetime of union experience, he will be exposed. It is unfortunate, but it is the truth. Same way the has-beens SBW fought for his title left a few marks on him. Physicality can be contained. An experienced mind cannot.

  • jimmy23
    5:38 PM 01/02/2015

    The ref was loving his whistle that night, still, games like that are always pretty tense towards the end.
    And I really hope this quiets down the hype around Burgess, yeah he's done well so far but his Rugby Union experience of a mere 7 games was exposed in that game.

Related Articles