Tommy Freeman backed for ‘best of both worlds’ positional switch by ex-England star
Tommy Freeman backed for positional switch by ex-England wing Anthony Watson.
Anthony Watson has urged Steve Borthwick to start Tommy Freeman at full-back to maximise England’s backline firepower in the coming Six Nations Championship.
Northampton star Freeman made history as a wing and centre in last year’s tournament, becoming the first England player to score a try in all five games in a single competition.
Freddie Steward, Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly shared the No.15 shirt during that campaign – three of five different players to wear it since November 2024, during which England won 12 of 13 Test matches.
George Furbank and Joe Carpenter were also used, with Freeman deployed either in midfield or wide out and making such a good fist of it the British and Irish Lions started him in all three Tests against Australia.
Full-back switch
Yet Watson believes England can get even more out of the 6’3″ Saint and that switching the 24-year old to full-back would strengthen their overall back-three offering.
“People don’t like my stance on it, but I put Freeman at 15,” said the former Bath and Leicester ace, whose 56 England caps came at wing and full-back.
“I know full-back comes with an entirely different array of skills, i.e. positioning and high ball stuff, but he’s played loads of full-back and we know how good he is in the air.
“It would give England the best of both worlds. You’ve got him hitting the brilliant lines we’ve seen him do time and time again from the centre. You also give him the freedom to roam and cause havoc on both sides of the pitch, which he doesn’t get to do on the wing.
“He’d be almost like a hybrid, giving England a world-class option, an absolute game-breaker, back there. They are spoilt for choice on the wing. Moving Tommy to full-back would, in my opinion, strengthen England further.”
This coming weekend offers players a final audition before England head coach Borthwick announces his Six Nations squad next Friday.
Northampton host Scarlets on Sunday needing maximum points from the final Investec Champions Cup pool round to stand a chance of home field advantage when the tournament returns in April for the Round of 16.
Holders Bordeaux lead Pool 4 ahead of Bristol but with the pair meeting at Ashton Gate, the right combination of results in Bear country and at Franklin’s Gardens will earn Saints the top-two finish necessary to claim a home tie.
If any side can beat Bordeaux it is Bristol in the form they are in just now. They have won seven in a row in league and Europe and have scored 122 points in their last two Champions Cup outings.
Can beat anyone
Watson, who will be on punditry duty for Premier Sports at Bears this Sunday, argues that Bristol, over the last 18 months to two years, have become a side capable of beating anyone “and racking up an infinite amount of points”, given their style of play.
“They can just turn it on,” he said. “Bordeaux are the gold standard but Bristol are going to be dangerous, for sure. The weather out in South Africa last week [where Bears beat the Bulls 61-49] definitely suited their style of play.
“They’ve always had game breakers, now they have confidence and, I think, a bit more synergy this year across the board.”
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Turning to Bristol’s England star Ellis Genge, Watson added: “It helps when your leader and your captain is playing some of the best rugby I’ve ever seen him play.
“Probably some of the best rugby I’ve ever seen a loosehead prop play across the board. He’s set the standard and the barometer of where the team are going.
“Add his drive to the measured leadership of Pat Lam and they’re definitely going to be a tough nut to crack this weekend, there’s no two ways about it.”
Anthony Watson will be a part of the Premier Sports team as the knockout stages of the Champions Cup are decided with 15 blockbuster fixtures live this weekend. He is on duty on Friday for Bath v Edinburgh (Premier Sports 1 from 7pm) and on Sunday for a huge double-header (Premier Sports 1 from 12.30pm) as Bristol take on Bordeaux followed by Northampton v Scarlets. Visit premiersports.com to join in from just £11.99 a month.
