Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'He now knows, especially having seen people like Jack Nowell'

(Photo by Alex Davidson/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Incoming Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson has hailed the rapid progress of rookie winger Tommy Freeman. Restored to his club side in early April, he has started the last six Saints matches, five of them in the Gallagher Premiership where they have qualified for a semi-final this Saturday away to Leicester. The 21-year-old made his breakthrough at Northampton last season, making 14 league and European appearances after a fleeting taste during the interrupted 2019/20 campaign.

ADVERTISEMENT

That resulted in England boss Eddie Jones taking an interest with numerous training camp call ups this term and while the youngster remains uncapped, head coach Dowson believes that Test squad exposure has rapidly accelerated Freeman’s progress.

“It’s always very good to get into a different environment where there are lots and lots of good players and lots and lots of good coaches, so Tommy going into the England environment was very positive,” explained Dowson when asked by RugbyPass to elaborate on the rookie’s emergence which has made him an option to tour Australia next month.

Video Spacer

The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 16

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      Video Spacer

      The Breakdown | Sky Sport NZ | Episode 16

      “He got to see how leading players in England prepare, how they review games, how they train in the gym, how they train on the pitch, different input from different coaches in terms of not exactly looking at what Sam Vesty might be looking at or Ian Vass might look at but getting different inputs from Martin Gleeson and Eddie Jones.

      “It’s very valuable in terms of making him a more rounded player, giving him different experiences and showing him what it takes to be consistent at the top. I hope he has taken a lot of that on board.”

      Related

      Rejected by Leicester at the age of 16 due to skills and a lack of size, Freeman went from 83kgs to 99 in a two-year period and while this added bulk took its toll on his knees, resulting in him getting an operation done last summer in Sweden, he has gone from strength to strength this season despite setbacks such as a hamstring issue at England training in Brighton at the end of January.

      “He understands it and I think any of these lads who go from the environment of going from the academy into the first team are well versed in nutrition and weights and understanding how that affects them physically,” continued Dowson about the Freeman transformation witnessed at Northampton thanks to his England involvement.

      ADVERTISEMENT

      “He has been very good. He has been very professional and is switched on. He now knows, especially having seen people like Jack Nowell and those guys who have been doing it for a long time. He will become more and more professional, understand his game more and more and understand his body more and more as he plays and he goes on that learning curve of playing week in week out.”

      Elsewhere at his Tuesday media briefing, Dowson added: “Tommy has been class, he is a big man who can move quickly. It’s his game understanding as well, he reads the game, and he has got the ability to beat people, footwork, speed, power and ball on the floor and with his kicking ability to put ball in behind people. He’s a class act and a lovely guy as well in the environment.

      “He is a top man who has been playing brilliant rugby and in all those tries he has scored (twelve in 13 Premiership appearances this season) he is benefiting from people like Fraser Dingwall, Dan Biggar and Alex Mitchell playing really well as well as George Furbank so that backs unit is providing Tommy opportunities.”

      Northampton will hope that the likely selection of Freeman to start the Premiership semi-final versus Leicester will be a good omen as the youngster didn’t play in the two beatings the Saints suffered against the Tigers this season (26-55 at home and 20-35 away).

      ADVERTISEMENT

      “We have taken a hiding twice and they have been chastening experiences, particularly a local derby, and we have to learn the lessons from that,” insisted Dowson, who takes over as director of rugby from Chris Boyd at the end of the season.

      “It is as clear as day in terms of getting our game on the field and dealing with a very aggressive and very dominant performances. How we manage to get ourselves in the game and how we manage to get our game on the pitch is integral to the success of our game plan.”

      ADVERTISEMENT
      Play Video

      South Africa vs Black Ferns XV | Women's International | Full Match Replay

      Play Video

      Namibia vs United Arab Emirates | Asia/Africa Rugby World Cup Play-off | Full Match Replay

      Play Video

      Lions Share | Episode 5

      Play Video

      Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

      Play Video

      Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

      Play Video

      The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

      Play Video

      KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

      Play Video

      New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

      Trending on RugbyPass

      Comments

      0 Comments
      Be the first to comment...

      Join free and tell us what you really think!

      Sign up for free
      ADVERTISEMENT

      Latest Long Reads

      Comments on RugbyPass

      J
      JW 41 minutes ago
      Lions tour Aussie takes: The Suaalii decision and the Finn Russell factor

      Good reads again John. I feel some moments at still within the team to improve, and hopefully some individuals to shine through. After Super Rugby where we were shown you can’t drop your guard at kick off several times in this series have the Lions caught their opposition out with quick throws and restarts, letting the ball go out in this game was a shocker (though the kick was honesty good enough to find the touch had they been ready). Tate tried to strip the try scored just before the half, where he could easily have just dove over the line with him and that pretty much would have been them going into the half with a 10 point lead or so. And in the last play they just didn’t work hard enough, especially one player, I forget who, when back into the ruck area given the Lions too much space wide.


      I feel they also didn’t seem to show the same killer instinct once they were in front, playing it safe on a couple of breaks/momentum carries.


      I also don’t really understand why Donaldson on the bench. I would much rather have someone you want on the pitch like Pietsch available in a 6/2 split with Gordon or Wright more than able to cover 10 imo. Tate was wonderful on the wing though. And of course lots more positives also present.


      I really enjoyed how they were running onto the ball in close in around the ruck. Wilson was playing a different role I thought, he was more the one out man design for quick ball and he presented it as good as you can get all night. That said, he’s not first choice 8 is he, who is that again? Is Wright still injured? I worry that Joe is keeping him their and its dictating too much of the plan just because he has been given the captaincy role.


      Will be interesting to see who he thinks might be work a shot in the first team this week, plenty of options. I watched the first quarter of last weeks midweek game and Tupou certainly wouldn’t be one on that list, might be worth a punt though. Think they have to try and work some plays for Bell too, hes got too much class just to be down on form, give him something to work with and I’m sure he’d be a standout as well.


      Also seen enough to know Hunter isn’t suddenly going to turn into a class center, I would definitely stick with Joseph but maybe theres a window to put him onto the wing, despite what I said above, now? I think you also do him a disservice in his defending (like many are), he made the player go outside him. It’s the hardest backline spot, I’d be inclined to use him like a league back row and carry it from 12 more often, if that suits Len better.

      3 Go to comments
      TRENDING
      TRENDING Former All Black called into Wallabies squad ahead of final Lions Test Former All Black called into Wallabies squad ahead of final Lions Test