England Wing Tommy Freeman Sets Sights On Switch To Centre For Club And Country

England’s reigning subordinate of nan twelvemonth Tommy Freeman has revealed he sees his early astatine outside-centre and intends to proceed his translator into midfield successful nan coming season.

A winger by trade, Freeman enjoyed a stunning 2024-25 campaign, racking up 23 tries for Northampton, England and nan British & Irish Lions. Freeman scored a memorable hat-trick successful nan Champions Cup semi-final triumph complete Leinster, having go nan first England men’s subordinate to people successful each information of nan Six Nations.

He went connected to commencement each 3 Lions Tests successful nan bid triumph complete Australia and vanished his good run pinch 34 appearances, exceeding nan mandated crippled limit successful nan process. All but 2 of those came connected nan helping pinch Freeman fixed a sensation of life successful nan No 13 jersey successful Northampton’s triumph complete Sale successful October while, significantly, his past England appearance, successful nan thumping triumph complete Wales successful Cardiff, came successful midfield.

Indeed, contempt Freeman’s strike-rate from nan wing, nan England caput coach, Steve Borthwick, has been plotting Freeman’s modulation to centre for immoderate time. Borthwick has Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck, Elliot Daly, Ollie Sleightholme, Cadan Murley, Will Muir and Henry Arundell arsenic his helping options but is little good stocked astatine centre and aft nan summertime bid triumph successful Argentina, extolled nan virtues of versatility among his squad.

Freeman is among nan 25 players connected an enhanced England statement – which springiness Borthwick greater entree to nan halfway members of his squad – and nan 24-year-old revealed Northampton, who boast Sleightholme, George Hendy and James Ramm among their helping options, are connected committee pinch his impending move.

“There’s a spot much of a attraction connected 13 [this season],” said Freeman. “It’s decidedly an option, arsenic it was past year, but nan onus is connected maine to get immoderate much training minutes successful there. If I tin do that and beryllium trusted successful nan midfield past I’ll spell for it.

“England and Saints are beautiful aligned and they’ll springiness each different tons of feedback. Saints person maine signed arsenic a helping and if they want maine to play location past I’ll play location – it’s arsenic elemental arsenic that. It’s injury-dependent, too; past year, I deliberation they astir apt would person liked to person had maine successful nan mediate a spot much but, because of injuries I was connected nan wing.

Tommy Freeman successful action connected nan British & Irish Lions circuit To Australia this year. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho/Shutterstock

“For now, I’m a helping and a 13 but past arsenic we get connected [I want to beryllium a] 13 who tin spell connected nan wing. I deliberation [I want to beryllium a 13]. As you get a spot older and your legs get a spot slower truthful I’ll astir apt person to travel successful one. Having different strings to your front does thief but I conscionable want to beryllium connected nan pitch, representing nan country, arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.”

Freeman’s gruelling play ended prematurely successful Sydney – he suffered a surgery chemoreceptor successful the Lions’ third-Test conclusion by Australia – and spent nan summertime recharging nan batteries pinch holidays successful Florida and Mallorca. As per subordinate use guidelines, Freeman will not beryllium disposable for Northampton until nan 3rd information of nan play while nan Saints head of rugby, Phil Dowson, has confirmed will beryllium fixed further remainder during nan 2025-26 run and has urged England to do nan same.

Freeman, who made 32 appearances successful 2023-24, added: “This year, having had 2 large seasons, it has been a wake-up telephone for maine successful that I’ve sewage to look aft my assemblage a batch amended than erstwhile you’re young and you tin stone up and tally into it. It’s much connected really diligent I tin be. It’s each astir taking attraction of your body.

“It’s a substance of everything, from training clip to games, definite England games, there’s bully subordinate use and they look aft america beautiful well. You’re not going to measurement distant from semi-finals, finals and large games you want to beryllium a portion of truthful what tin you do mid-season to make judge you’re successful premier position to wherever you request to be.

“I’m ever quiet for what’s next. The Lions was nan astir astonishing point I’ve ever done but there’s a World Cup astir nan area that I want to beryllium a portion of. I want to triumph leagues and Champions Cups pinch Saints. You’re ever quiet for nan adjacent thing.”