Henry Slade (Image: Getty)
Henry Slade’s story is an unexpected one – it’s not every day you hear of an elite athlete with an active playing career battling not one but multiple health challenges.
Rugby centre Slade first registered with two clubs, Exeter Chiefs and Plymouth Albion, in 2012. He made 12 appearances for Plymouth, recording 15 points in his debut year.
His first game for Exeter came against London Irish in April 2013. Slade had a breakout season in 2014-15 and was soon called up to the England squad. However, a serious leg injury in late 2015 temporarily halted his progress.
After recovering, he played a key role in Exeter’s rise and their first Premiership title in 2017. A key member of England’s 2019 Rugby World Cup squad, which finished as runners-up, Slade remained a mainstay for both club and country
Henry Slade’s net worth
Slade’s net worth is not publicly available. However, he used to earn around £450,000 a year after signing a new deal at Sandy Park in 2019, as per Ruck.
Slade also signed a contract extension with England in 2024. Beyond his rugby earnings, the 31-year-old has secured several endorsement deals in recent years.
Notably, he collaborated with Bradford Building Supplies, taking part in multiple promotional campaigns. Additionally, Slade has been seen promoting Dexcom, a company specialising in continuous glucose monitoring systems.
Henry Slade’s personal life
Born on 19 March 1993 in Plymouth, England, Slade began playing rugby while attending Plymouth College. He pursued his career while studying Sports & Exercise Science at the University of Exeter.
Slade is also a father to two daughters with his wife, Megan. He comes from a sporting family as his great-uncle, Geoff Williamson, was a former Portsmouth FC player.
His older brother, Seb, has made a name for himself in acting, appearing in films such as War of the Worlds (2019) and Promenade (2020). Meanwhile, his younger brother, Albert, is also pursuing rugby alongside his studies.
Opening up on health issues
At the age of 18, Slade was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. His condition requires meticulous management, especially for a professional athlete.
Being open about the challenges, Slade shared his journey of managing his rugby career. Talking about the training and games he said in an interview with England Rugby: “It took a bit of getting used to, especially as my rugby career progressed. I had a couple of little lows and had to get used to how my body would change in training and games. Both are different.
“In training my blood sugars would drop so before the session I’d have a couple of sweets just to make sure I’m at the right level. Games were harder to control.” Using continuous glucose monitoring equipment gives him real-time information about his blood sugar levels and enables him to keep a track of his health.
Slade has also opened up about his struggles with Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It had started to impact his life as a rugby athlete, as he revealed to Sky Sports last month: “I had a very specific way I had to tie my laces, certain times I had to tie the loops and pull the shoe laces, how tight I pulled and all that.
“The first time I ever tried to tie them normally, I messed up on what I had normally done and thought ‘It will be fine, don’t worry about it’. In that game, I broke my leg and it didn’t help”. He added that discussing with his teammates made things better and his commitment to the game ensured that these challenges did not prevent him from achieving his goals as an athlete.