As Exeter Chiefs prepare for today’s Gallagher PREM final against Northampton Saints, one of their most influential players continues to overcome a challenge that most supporters never see.
England centre Henry Slade has spent his entire professional career managing Type 1 diabetes, an invisible disability that requires constant monitoring while competing at the highest level of rugby.
Slade was diagnosed at the age of 18 shortly after joining Exeter’s senior setup, and admits his first thought was whether his dream of becoming a professional rugby player was over.
“All I could think was: ‘I want to be a rugby player’ and I was questioning: ‘Can I do that?'”
More than a decade later, Slade has emphatically answered that question. The Exeter star has won PREM and Champions Cup titles, earned more than 70 England caps and established himself as one of the most consistent centres in the northern hemisphere.
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“It doesn’t stop you doing anything”
Living with Type 1 diabetes means carefully managing blood sugar levels around training sessions, matches and recovery.
For elite athletes, every training session and every game presents different challenges.
“It’s different going from training to matches and that’s probably the thing that I had to trial and error with the most,” Slade previously explained.
Despite the extra demands, the Chiefs playmaker is determined not to let the condition define him.
“It’s frustrating having diabetes, but it doesn’t stop you doing anything. You can do whatever you want, it’s just about having control.”
He has also been keen to challenge misconceptions around the condition.
“There’s a stigma about why people think you get it. I’ve been told countless times, ‘You shouldn’t have eaten too many sweets when you were a kid.'”
Slade has also opened up about OCD
Away from diabetes, Slade has also spoken publicly about his battle with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
In an emotional interview as part of Sky Sports’ Real Talk series, the England international revealed how compulsive routines had been part of his life since childhood and eventually became intertwined with his rugby career.
“It was so ingrained in my life it naturally progressed into my rugby,” Slade explained.
The Exeter centre described having strict routines around everyday tasks and even the way he tied his boots before matches.
After discussing the issue with team-mates and later seeking professional support, Slade began to gain greater control over the condition.
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Leading by example
As Exeter bid for Premiership glory against Northampton today, Slade’s importance extends far beyond his performances in the Chiefs midfield.
Whether managing Type 1 diabetes or speaking openly about OCD, he has shown that some of the toughest challenges athletes face are often invisible.
As Slade himself puts it:
“I’ve got diabetes and it’s something I just have to live with.”
It’s an attitude that has helped him become one of English rugby’s most respected players — and one of Exeter’s key men on the biggest day of the domestic season.
NAME EVERY ENGLAND MEN’S CAPTAIN OF THE PROFESSIONAL ERA:
Since rugby turned professional in 1995, England have had a host of captains lead the team through World Cups, Grand Slams, Lions tours and some of the biggest moments in the sport’s history.
From World Cup-winning legends to short-term stand-ins, how many England captains of the professional era can you name?
You have five minutes to name them all. Good luck!
