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Henry Slade is expected to play in England’s Autumn Nations Series opener against the All Blacks and is working to strengthen his fitness.
Slade has returned from a training camp in Girona and is expected to play his first minutes of the season against Exeter Chiefs against Harlequins on Sunday.
The center underwent shoulder surgery after a summer tour of England and is racing against time to prepare for the season opener in November.
However, he is likely to feature at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium next week and is a strong candidate to start alongside regular midfield partner Ollie Lawrence, a big boost to Steve Borthwick and Slade. has emerged as an important figure in the Cup team since being excluded from last year’s World Cup.
His availability also comes as much-needed news for an Exeter side who lost their first five games of the new Premiership season.
England senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth admitted: “He and we are both keen to get some playing time at the weekend.” “He will train with Exeter and then play in a game this weekend.
“If you have his experience and integrity and he is comfortable with the system that we run, it definitely speeds up the process.
“He is a really senior member of the Exeter team and I think that has had an added influence on his game. This is proof. It would be easy to stop, but he didn’t. He’s important to us.”
England will make a late decision on George Ford’s fly fitness as he recovers from a quadriceps injury, half ahead of schedule.
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George Ford is nearing a return (Getty Images)
Initial concerns that Sale’s playmaker would miss the autumn were allayed after Ford avoided surgery. He was accompanying the team to continue his rehabilitation and was able to take part in Wednesday’s training, kicking high balls and moving relatively freely.
“George Ford is in the final stages of his rehabilitation so he’s involved in a lot of rugby,” Wigglesworth explained. “He immediately felt very good and is very committed to what he has to do. He has beaten all the necessary markers.”
Wigglesworth’s recent promotion to Grand Lieutenant of Borthwick comes after a tumultuous summer that saw defense coach Felix Jones and head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters leave the staff.
This leaves the former scrum-half as a key figure as England look to strengthen ahead of the 2027 World Cup, even if he harbors long-term ambitions to become a head coach. I am satisfied with my role.
“Aled in particular will be missed as he was a close friend of mine for a long time, but I’m also happy that as a friend he’s doing what he wants to do. This is an international sport and a lot of different things happen. But you have to adapt, improve, and move on.
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Richard Wigglesworth (left) is now Steve Borthwick’s main lieutenant (Getty Images)
“It’s not something I can think about right now, but do I want to be a head coach? Yes. Does that mean anything to me now other than wanting to develop as much as I can and help this England team as much as I can? no.
“I’m incredibly committed, just like I was when I signed to help England. That’s why I came, that’s what I’m supposed to do. For some reason it’s Things change, but I’m a proud British man and I’m part of a group that can be much better than we are now, and that’s a pretty good job.”
