England centre Tommy Freeman has revealed that an intervention from his Northampton coaches helped him through a slump following the British and Irish Lions tour.
Freeman started all three Tests in the 2-1 series victory over Australia that concluded on August 2 – alongside Maro Itoje and Tom Curry one of only three Englishman to do so – and still felt the effects when the new season began.
While physically he was recharged by the mandatory five-week rest period that followed the tour, Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson and head coach Sam Vesty spotted that his “mental state wasn’t in the best spot”.
A reduction in training and matches enabled the 24-year-old to negotiate the early part of 2025-26 and he went on to take part in England’s autumn campaign until he was affected by a hamstring niggle.
“I struggled without realising it. I had the five weeks off, body felt good, but my mental state wasn’t in the best spot,” Freeman said.
“When you go on tours and go away for a long time, when you come back it’s almost ‘right, you’re done’.
“I get ill sometimes because of the stress and then all of a sudden it being off you and the relief. It was just a mixture of all that.
“Phil and Sam just pulled me to the side and asked if I was all right. I had probably been in denial and was saying ‘I’m fine, I’m fine’, but they pulled me from bits and bobs of training and then a few games, which was really good.
“England as well, picking that up and getting me back into the games in the right way.”
Referencing his post-Australia holiday that included trips to Universal Studios and Disney World in Florida, Freeman continued: “You go on a big Lions tour off the back of 34 games.
“It’s a lot of rugby and then I could probably have managed my time off better and not gone on as many rollercoaster rides and things like that, probably just sat in the sun.
“Without realising it, I think I was tired. My body felt like I was OK to go but I just think mentally it was a bit more of a struggle.
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“I can’t really explain the feeling, if I’m honest, it was just a mix of up and downs, really. It took an extra two weeks to feel all right.”
Freeman is expected to continue his centre partnership with Northampton team-mate Fraser Dingwall that was given its fourth Test outing in Saturday’s 31-20 defeat by Scotland.
Ireland visit Allianz Stadium in the next assignment of the Guinness Six Nations and Freeman admits his transition from wing, where he has won the bulk of his 24 caps, remains a work in progress.
“There’s loads to learn still,” he said. “With centre, you get to experience loads of different things. What you’ve got to realise is that every game doesn’t look the same. Every centre offers something different.”
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