Ed Slater
{{short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox Rugby biography
| name = Ed Slater
| image =Ed Slater (cropped).jpg
| birth_name = {{nowrap|Edward Nicholas Slater}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|08|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Leicester, England
| height = {{convert|1.96|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| nickname =
| school = Denbigh School
| relatives =
| youthyears =
| youthclubs =
| amatyears1 = 2007–2010
| amatteam1 = Eastern Suburbs
| years1 = 2010
| clubs1 = Nottingham
| apps1 = 7
| points1 = 10
| years2 = 2010–2017
| clubs2 = Leicester Tigers
| apps2 = 136
| points2 = 55
| years3 = 2017–2022
| clubs3 = Gloucester
| apps3 = 94
| points3 = 50
| totalyears = 2010–2022
| totalapps = 237
| totalpoints= 115
| clubupdate = 14:03, 21 July 2022 (UTC)
| repyears1 = 2012–2022
| repteam1 = England Saxons
| repcaps1 = 4
| reppoints1 =0
| ru_ntupdate =14:03, 21 July 2022 (UTC)
}}
Edward Nicholas Slater (born 1 August 1988){{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/122350.html|title=Ed Slater ESPN profile|access-date=6 May 2018|publisher=ESPN}} is an English former rugby union player who played at lock for Leicester Tigers and Gloucester Rugby.
Slater has captained both Leicester Tigers and Gloucester. He was Leicester Tigers club captain from 2014 to 2016. Slater captained Gloucester in the 2018 Challenge Cup final loss to Cardiff Blues. He has also captained England on their 2014 tour of New Zealand when they defeated the Crusaders in Christchurch.
Following a diagnosis of motor neurone disease in July 2022, Slater retired from professional rugby.{{cite news |title=Club Statement: Ed Slater |url=https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/club-statement-ed-slater |access-date=21 July 2022 |work=Gloucester Rugby |date=21 July 2022}}
Early life
Slater was born 1 August 1988 in Leicester, Leicestershire, England. Slater grew up in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire and attended Denbigh School with Olympic Gold Medallist Greg Rutherford.
Slater is married to wife, Jo. They have three children, daughters Flo, Edie and son, Frank.
Club career
=Junior career=
Born in Leicester Slater began his rugby career at Milton Keynes RUFC before moving to Australia. He established himself at Eastern Suburbs RUFC, Sydney, NSW. It was here that he began to really improve, starting in a successful U21s side and resulting in playing 1st grade rugby for 'The Beasties'. He also enjoyed a short stint with the NSW Waratahs, where he was signed on a Junior contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/home-club-leaves-Slater-pinching/article-2679121-detail/article.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505105204/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/home-club-leaves-Slater-pinching/article-2679121-detail/article.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-05-05|title=Call-up by home club Leicester Tigers leaves Slater pinching himself|publisher=Leicester Mercury}} After a short trial with Leicester Tigers he joined Nottingham at the opening stages of the playoff campaign. Here he played alongside future Tigers teammate Tom Youngs. His performances in the Championship playoffs and for the Tigers' development side earned him a move to his hometown club, Leicester Tigers in the summer of 2010.
=Leicester Tigers=
In 2009/10 Slater provided cover for long-term injuries to England international locks Louis Deacon and Geoff Parling, whilst the retirements of Ben Kay and Richard Blaze allowed Slater to break through to the first team squad. Slater's consistent performances earned him Tigers' Player of the Month award in October 2010 and he went on to make over 30 appearances for the club in his first season.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/leicester/9197621.stm Ed Slater surprised by fine start at Leicester Tigers] 17 November 2010 In the same season he helped Tigers top the leaderboard and make it to the Aviva Premiership final in the 2010–2011 season.
A successful 2012/2013 campaign culminated in a Premiership winners medal for Slater, he was a used replacement in the final.{{cite news
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/22656677
|title=Aviva Premiership final: Leicester 37-17 Northampton
|publisher=BBC
|date=25 May 2013 |access-date=9 February 2020}} Slater captained the Tigers in the 14/15 (although injured for the majority of the season, he returned to captain the side for the last 10 games) and 15/16 seasons.
=Gloucester=
On 7 August 2017, Slater left Leicester to sign for Gloucester Rugby as part of a swap deal with Jonny May joining Leicester Tigers from the 2017–18 season. On 21 July 2022, Slater announced that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and retired immediately.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2017/08/07/gloucester-leicester-tigers-confirm-swap-deal-jonny-may-ed-slater/|publisher=Telegraph|title=Gloucester sign Leicester Tigers lock Ed Slater|date=7 August 2017|access-date=18 August 2017}}
International career
Slater was selected in the England Saxons squad in 2012.[http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/13347.php Saxons debut delight for Slater]
He was selected in the senior England Squad in 2012/13,[https://archive.today/20130710030328/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Ed-Slater-called-England-tour-Argentina-summer/story-18924638-detail/story.html%23axzz2YZNQ8g9B Ed Slater called in to Senior England squad] but an injury sustained in the Aviva Premiership final ruled him out of the tour shortly after being selected.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22690321 Ed Slater and Calum Clark ruled out of Argentina tour] He was then selected for both the 2014 Six Nations and the summer tour to New Zealand,{{Cite web |url=http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9350380/crusaders-v-england-ed-slater-to-skipper-midweek-team-in-christchurch |title=Crusaders v England: Ed Slater to skipper midweek team in Christchurch | Rugby Union News | Sky Sports |access-date=21 December 2014 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114424/http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12504/9350380/crusaders-v-england-ed-slater-to-skipper-midweek-team-in-christchurch |url-status=dead }} where he captained England against the Canterbury Crusaders in his first appearance for the senior England side.
Slater was included in Stuart Lancaster's World Cup 51 man training squad.{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/england-announce-rugby-world-cup-training-group/|title=England announce Rugby World Cup training group|publisher=englandrugby.com|date=20 May 2015|access-date=1 March 2016|archive-date=12 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912144719/http://www.englandrugby.com/news/england-announce-rugby-world-cup-training-group/|url-status=dead}} He also featured in Eddie Jones' plans at the beginning of 2016, but suffered a knee injury.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/12083708/England-problems-mount-for-Eddie-Jones-with-Ed-Slater-and-Dave-Attwood-facing-lengthy-spells-on-the-sidelines.html|title=England problems mount for Eddie Jones with Ed Slater and Dave Attwood facing lengthy spells on the sidelines|last=Schofield|first=Daniel|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=2016|access-date=2017-09-12|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}
Honours
; Leicester Tigers
- Premiership Rugby winner : 2013,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/22656677|title=Aviva Premiership final: Leicester 37-17 Northampton|first=Chris|last=Osborne|website=BBC Sport|date=25 May 2013|access-date=9 February 2020}}{{verify inline|date=April 2024}}
- Anglo-Welsh Cup : 2012, 2017{{fact|date=April 2024}}
- Premiership Rugby runner-up: 2011, 2012{{fact|date=April 2024}}
; Gloucester Rugby
- EPCR Challenge Cup runner-up: 2018{{fact|date=April 2024}}
References
External links
- [http://www.leicestertigers.com/rugby/leicester_tigers_senior_squad.php?player=92475&includeref=dynamic Leicester profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slater, Edward}}
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Gloucester Rugby players
Category:Leicester Tigers players
Category:Nottingham R.F.C. players
Category:Rugby union players from Leicester