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WING Tommy Freeman was tipped to be England’s Mr Fixit after his hat-trick helped Saints into the play-off semi-finals. Freeman scored three of Northampton’s 10 tries as they survived a wobble just after the break, conceding 19 points in 17 minutes, to seal fourth place and set up a grudge East Midlands semi against Leicester at Welford Road.
Freeman, 21, gave England boss Eddie Jones another nudge ahead of the summer tour of Australia.
He is yet to be capped but Jones has said Freeman could fill the gap at 13 left by injuries to Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade.
Saints boss Chris Boyd reckons Freeman’s versatility can benefit Jones and said: “Tommy played most of football as a kid as a 10 and I think he could play a number of positions.
“He has a very good skill-set for full-back or winger and he could play 13 as well. He is big, strong and fast and a good footballer. It doesn’t matter where he plays, he is just a good player.”
Northampton apparently had the game sewn up with a 36-7 lead at the break, Freeman scoring his first just before half-time.
But Newcastle, with nothing to play for, rallied with a penalty try, one for hooker Jamie Blamire and a neat finish in the corner from wing Adam Radwan.
Boyd added: “That was clearly a long way from the script.the danger in a game like this, when you know to win is so important to get that fourth spot, is to push the game too hard.
“There is probably not much of that you would take into the Leicester game. It will be a completely different game.
“Two months ago we were eighth or ninth.we talked about the fact we were playing knockout football and we managed to sneak into the top four.”
Northampton were rocked by the Falcons’ fightback but turned the screw on the hour, when lock Sean Robinson was red-carded for a high tackle on Dan Biggar and centre Rory Hutchinson scored.
Freeman ran in from 50 metres and completed his hat-trick with a chip and chase.
After his last game in charge of Newcastle, Dean Richards said: “They were probably two or three scores better than us.when you are chasing a game and get within a few points, sometimes you have to tighten things up and we didn’t. We were too loose.”