Saints star Freeman has point to prove after being released by Tigers
AS A boyhood Harlequins fan who rose through the Leicester ranks, now making his name with Northampton, Tommy Freeman has a unique outlook on today’s play-offs. Freeman, 21, has had a breakthrough season with Saints, earning a place in the England squad. He can play across the backline and switches to full back against Leicester today to cover for the injured George Furbank. In-form Freeman, who has bagged 10 tries in his last 12 Premiership starts, admits returning to the home of the Tigers — who released him as a teenager — will be special. ‘It’s weird — I never could have seen myself playing for Leicester,’ Freeman tells Sportsmail. ‘I was a Quins fan growing up. Me and my dad loved going to The Stoop. I was Quins until I was 17 even though I’d been playing at Leicester. When I was in the academy, I realised my Quins kit had to go! ‘Then I was released — I hadn’t grown at that point. But with the way it’s worked out, I’m happy at Northampton now.’ So, does Freeman (below) have a point to prove against the team who let him go? ‘I think I do,’ he admits. ‘There is this thing with me being released and doing a job on them. There is added pressure. ‘But I’ll be fine. I’ll stick to my game and hopefully we get the result. Anyone can beat anyone in this league. If we play how we know we can then there’s no reason why not.’ Saints are underdogs for their trip up the M1. Leicester finished the regular season as the first team in Premiership history to have topped the table for every round.
Ben Youngs starts at scrumhalf for the Tigers following the tragic death of his brother Tom’s wife Tiffany this week. There will be a minute of applause in Tiffany’s memory before kick-off. Freeman and the rest of Saints’ entertaining back division won’t change their attacking mantra, but the forwards will have to front up. Leicester’s pack looks daunting but there is no place in their squad for try machine Chris Ashton.
‘It’s a semi-final but it feels like a final with it being a big derby and us going away,’ says Freeman, who insists he’s ready for an England debut this summer in Australia. ‘We know it will be rocking. I can’t wait.’