'Full house' Tommy Freeman happy to 'cause chaos' wherever

England winger turned outside centre Tommy Freeman is relaxed about whatever number he has on his back for club or country, having starred in both positions during the Six Nations.

Freeman became the first England player to score in every round of the Six Nations championship, following up the tries he scored from the wing against Ireland, France, Scotland and Italy with one on his first Test start at 13 in the final day rout of Wales.

“It is always nice getting over the line in games and to do it and create a bit of history was pretty cool as well and I’ll hold that with me forever,” he said.

The 24-year-old says he was oblivious to the fact he could be on the verge of creating Six Nations history until the week leading up to the Wales Test.

“It probably snuck up on me after the Italy try. It was after that game that there were a few conversations about how I could create some history.

“My parents couldn’t find a hotel for that Wales week so the hotel we were staying in, I managed to get them a room there, and I went and saw them before the game and Dad just brought it up, ‘You’ve got to score by the way’, and I was like, ‘Shut up, you’re talking it out of existence’ and stuff. So yeah, I got the pressure off the parents for sure, so it was good to get over.

“I think Dad had a well-up as I went over. It was pretty special and it kind of paid them back for all the travelling they did with me as a kid.”

As for try-scoring celebrations, a series of different circumstances ensured Freeman saved his best until last by throwing the ball into the crowd and pointing vigorously in their direction.

Running through the tries one by one, he explained: “The Ireland one, for the bonus point, we lost, so I couldn’t really celebrate. The France one, I caught it, went down to the ground, and all the boys kind of went all over me so I couldn’t really celebrate. Then Scotland was a really good try, I got that down, and got back into position really quickly. Italy, I was blowing and I couldn’t really celebrate, so I thought if I get over (against Wales) I have got to give it beans and give it something, so that was a nice one.”

A proven finisher who is brilliant in the air and versatile, Freeman will tick a lot of Andy Farrell’s boxes in weighing up the composition of his Lions squad for this summer’s tour to Australia. But Freeman refuses to saddle himself with such thoughts. “I am not looking too far ahead into that. Obviously, what will be will be. I can control playing well here and doing what I can for the team and putting us in a good position. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But it is the pinnacle of rugby, everyone wants to be on that plane.”

Freeman now has seven tries in 20 Test appearances and was England’s go-to man when it came to breaking the opposition line in the Six Nations. In terms of attacking play, he sees little difference between outside centre and the wing but, defensively, he feels playing out wide is harder than 13, the position that is normally regarded as the toughest to defend from.

“If I am honest, based on the Six Nations we had, I had to make some difficult decisions at times, I think being on the wing is tougher. You have got to be connected to your 13, you’re in a lot of space and you’ve got to cover all these players and these 10s can kick the ball on a sixpence pretty much. Obviously 13 you have to make good reads, adjust and move quickly but I would say wing is a little bit tougher.”

Freeman feels comfortable with either role, just as long as he is on the pitch, and not warming the bench with the dreaded ‘utility back’ No23 on his back.

“I am pretty comfortable in all the positions, to be honest. Obviously, I have got some love off the wing and got some good rewards off of it and I pop up in different spaces. But there are times when I play on the wing when the 13 would be out the back of things, and as a winger, I can still do that.

“So other than the structure and the moves and stuff I would say it is pretty similar.”

Freeman is the type of player who takes things in his long stride without much fuss. All he needs, he says, to create ‘chaos’ on either the wing or in midfield is a week’s notice.

“People talk about being moved around but as long as it’s not that 23 shirt, covering everything, as long as I am the pitch, I’ll be happy,” he said.

“If it is going to happen, at least if I know throughout that week or leading up to it, I can get myself in that position, go through all the roles and make sure I am all clear on what I have got to do in that position. Outside of that, it’s just rugby, getting your hands on the ball’ and going out to cause chaos.”