Henry Slade believes England have made significant progress in fixing their defensive issues, citing improved clarity and a more collaborative approach among players following a disappointing autumn campaign.
Slade acknowledged that the transition to a new defensive system had been rushed, contributing to England’s struggles. Joe El-Abd was brought in as the defence coach for the November internationals following the unexpected departure of Felix Jones. The team initially faced difficulties adapting, with some players adhering to Jones’s aggressive blitz approach known within the squad as “the Hammer” while others were less committed to the high-risk strategy.
Since then, El-Abd has returned to his club duties at Oyonnax while maintaining his role with England. He has worked closely with the squad at their training camp in Girona, preparing them for their Six Nations opener against Ireland. Slade noted that the players have taken more responsibility in shaping the defensive structure, which has helped establish a clearer understanding among the team.
“There’s been a lot more emphasis on players also helping out with reviewing and leading it, which has only helped us,” Slade explained. “Joe has his own ideas, but there has been definite input from us as players in terms of how we implement it. We have had a lot of good discussions, and it feels like everyone is on the same page. We know what we are doing now, which is a big step forward. Having extra time has been beneficial because it was quite rushed last time.”
Slade highlighted the complexity of the previous system, where small mistakes could create a domino effect, leading to defensive breakdowns. He refrained from revealing specifics on how England’s approach will change but indicated that there will be less emphasis on full commitment to the blitz while maintaining aggressive line speed.
“We’re always looking to evolve and improve our defence. I won’t go into details, but we are making adjustments,” Slade said. “We still want to be aggressive, put the opposition under pressure, and go hard. We’ve identified areas where we can refine our approach while keeping the intensity. Previously, our defence was very hit-or-miss. We’re still a line-speed team, still going after players, but we want to ensure we’re in the best position to make tackles and stay engaged in the play.”
England enter the Six Nations after six losses in their past eight matches. However, they did secure a dramatic win over Ireland in last year’s tournament, with Marcus Smith sealing victory with a last-minute drop goal. Despite that, Ireland remains the clear favourite for the upcoming clash in Dublin.
No. 8 Ben Earl acknowledged the challenge ahead but expressed excitement about facing a top-tier opponent. “It’s a chance to play against arguably the best team in the world and some of the best players in key positions,” he said. “We’ve worked hard in preparation, and we know we are still developing as a team. Winning would be great, but we will see what happens. We’re going to give it our all and understand the scale of the task ahead.”
