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'He now knows, especially having seen people like Jack Nowell'
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.
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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.
“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.”
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.
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“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).
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“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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments