Slade stars for England in Tonga rout

By Mark Stevens
6/11/21

Exeter Chiefs star Henry Slade produced a man of the match display as England launched their Autumn Nations Series with a 69-3 demolition of Tonga in front of a sold-out Twickenham.

The first 82,000 full house at Twickenham for 20 months because of the coronavirus pandemic noisily celebrated a 11-try rout led by Jonny May, Ben Youngs and Jamie George, who each crossed twice.

Victory was completed despite a disrupted build-up that saw Farrell withdraw as fly-half and captain after testing positive for Covid with confirmation of his absence delivered only 90 minutes before kick-off.

George Furbank was promoted to chief conductor for his fifth cap and a rookie who is more accustomed to playing full-back rose to the occasion by showing several attacking flourishes until he was replaced by Marcus Smith.

The intention had been for Farrell and Smith to form a playmaking axis but Covid and Smith’s leg injury sabotaged that plan and instead the Harlequins prodigy had to wait until the 53rd minute to step off the bench.

Smith entered the fray at a time when England were becoming scruffy in the face of successful Tongan spoiling but his arrival gave Eddie Jones’ men a second wind and he picked a brilliant support line to finish a break by Slade, who was joined in the starting line-up by club-mate Jonny Hill.

The 22-year-old’s afternoon was marred only when he was elbowed on the floor in the 70th minute by Viliami Fine, who was sent off as a result.

Courtney Lawes deputised as captain for the isolating Farrell, who will also miss next Saturday’s visit of Australia, and the veteran flanker was highly influential with his try-saving tackle on Telusa Veainu a remarkable feat of athleticism.

Even allowing for the strength of determined but limited opposition it was an impressive start to the autumn as England, wearing their red change kit, attacked at speed showing an intent that was missing in the Six Nations.

Bigger tests are to come against Australia and South Africa across the next two weekends but this was a meaningful step towards resetting after calamitous fifth place finish in the Championship.

Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes after Tonga arrived late and it looked bleak for the Islanders from the moment Adam Radwan showed slick footwork to cross in the third minute.