Exeter Chiefs Announce Henry Slade’s Contract Extension Amidst Mixed Reactions
Exeter Chiefs, the Premiership powerhouse, have stirred up a social media frenzy with their announcement regarding the future of England international Henry Slade. The experienced center’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season, and after months of speculation, he has now signed a new deal to remain with the club he has represented for over a decade.
Exeter Chiefs’ teaser video, captioned “Thank you Henry,” featured Slade speaking about his love for the club and his time at Sandy Park. However, the post was shortly followed by a confirmation that the 31-year-old had, in fact, signed a new contract for the 2024/25 Premiership season, with the club playfully remarking, “Wait, you didn’t think he was seriously leaving, did you?”
This social media strategy has sparked a mixed reaction from rugby union enthusiasts. Some praised the club’s “beautifully ambiguous” approach, while others criticized the “woeful communications” and deemed it “one of the worst pieces of social media in the history of the Premiership.”
“The club has been my whole adult life, so I just didn’t feel like it was time to go. There is an extremely strong group coming through now, and I am relishing being one of the senior boys in among a group with so much potential to do some great things.” – Henry Slade
Slade, who has won an LV-Cup, two Gallagher Premiership titles, and a Champions Cup crown with Exeter, expressed his reasons for staying.
Despite the mixed reactions, the post has been a hit, garnering over 200,000 views at the time of writing. The announcement comes as part of a busy transfer season, with the Premiership Ins and Outs list for the 2024/25 campaign already taking shape.
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