'Little bits of magic create tries' - England's Tommy Freeman on wing wizardry, epilepsy and not always being the best player growing up

01/27/2025 08:48 AM

Card tricks are not the only sleight of hand the Northampton Saints flyer will hope to show as the opening Six Nations contest against Ireland looms

When the moment is right Tommy Freeman still loves performing the magic card tricks he first learned at school in Suffolk. It is always fun finding fresh "victims" and on the Eurostar back from an away game in Paris this month it was the turn of Northampton's young scrum-half Archie McParland to be left open-mouthed by his teammate's sleight of hand.

Now you see it, now you don't. Coincidentally that happens to be Freeman's super-strength on a rugby field as well. His club coach, Sam Vesty, long ago spotted him as the type of player who makes most impact when he backs his instincts. A keen hockey player in his youth, Freeman possesses the spatial awareness to pop up in places his opponents are not anticipating.