'I probably handled it pretty badly at the start. I played the victim'

England and Leicester Tigers full-back Freddie Steward has credited Michael Cheika with helping rebuild his confidence after “easily the toughest season, or two seasons” of his career, before a standout series against Argentina in July.

Two years ago, Steward would have been one of the first names on the team sheet for England. But Steve Borthwick’s ambition to evolve England’s style after the 2023 World Cup saw the 25-year-old marginalised, with George Furbank returning to the England fold and Marcus Smith being fashioned into a full-back.

This forced Steward to develop his game, and, after only making one appearance in the Six Nations this year, he returned to England’s starting XV during the summer – admittedly aided by British and Irish Lions call-ups and injuries – where he was able to showcase the growth in his attacking game with slicker distribution and more potent carrying as England won the series with the Pumas 2-0.

This development would never have happened, he said as a guest on The Rugby Pod recently, had he not had the “horrible” feeling of having the England No.15 jersey taken away from him. Though he said he “played a bit of the victim,” Steward took the advice he was given from Borthwick on board and went back to work on his game, helped by Cheika, who was at the helm at Welford Road last season.

Steward’s place in an England matchday squad is still not as secure as it once was, and he has conceded that he may be pigeonholed as a high-ball specialist for the rest of his career. However, when reflecting on the past two years, he feels he is “sat here better because that happened.”

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Gallagher Premiership

Leicester

45 - 14

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Gloucester

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“Easily the toughest season, or two seasons, I’ve had in my career,” Steward said when reflecting on losing his place in the England team.

“Obviously, international rugby and playing for England means the world to me, so when you get that taken away, it’s horrible. You live it, it’s all everyone wants to speak about, and it’s quite hard to get away from. I probably handled it pretty badly at the start — I played a bit of the victim — but you start to appreciate it more when it gets taken away from you.

“There was never any doubt that I was going to respond in a way that was going to make me better. I’m comfortably able to say I’m sat here better because that happened, and I’d probably be worse had I kept the shirt the whole time. You need stuff like that to give you that kick.

“Leicester has been a great spot, particularly with Cheik [Michael Cheika] there last season. He’s such a good coach. I learned so much from him, and he basically built my confidence back up because it was near zero. He was great for that, and Hewey [Peter Hewat] as attack coach as well. I just had to enjoy it when it was s**t, and it’s made the last season even more special, having the opportunity to wear the shirt again and be out there with England.

“There was never any doubt that the part of my game that needed to improve was the attacking side. Steve said to me, ‘Kick returns are going to be a massive focus. I want you to go away and make me meet every time you get the ball — beat defenders, bringing that ball back.’ That’s been a massive focus for me over the last couple of seasons.

“I’ve been working really hard on that, going hard in the gym, trying to get these tiny wins with speed and acceleration, and trying to be a threat with ball in hand.

“I probably got the balance wrong at the start because I neglected the high ball stuff and suffered for a bit, but you’ve got to find a balance between remembering what got you where you are — your point of difference — and what you can add.

“You get pigeonholed. Until the day I retire, all they want to talk about is the high ball and the aerial stuff, but I want to be known for something else and be slightly more rounded than that label suggests.”