FORMER England centre Luther Burrell believes Tommy Freeman is best suited at outside centre and has the attributes to become one of the best players in the world.
The Northampton flyer had a breakout season in 2023/24 as he was an integral part of Saints’ Premiership-winning run, whilst also making his England debut in the Six Nations.
The 23-year-old featured across numerous positions in the backline for club and country, but Burrell believes his damage can be done best from outside centre.
“He has that all-court ability which can make him one of, if not the, best outside centres in World Rugby,” he said on The Rugby Paper Podcast.
“I realised how freakish he was when I went down to Northampton and watched him live. For me he is the full package, an all-court outside centre.”
Freeman started at 13 nine times for Saints last season, including the narrow Champions Cup semi-final loss to Leinster.
The electric youngster has flourished at the position since making his first appearance there at the start of last season, and Burrell admired the ease with which he’s done it.
“You look across the league and think, there are no outside centres that are like him,” he added. “He’s agile, can read the game, defend well and has the skill-set and kicking game to go along with it. It’s the hardest position on the field and he took to it like a duck to water.”
Freeman has yet to feature in the 13 shirt for England, starting all of his eight caps on the wing but with Henry Slade injured, he will be a genuine option for Steve Borthwick during the November Test matches against New Zealand, particular concussion flying out of the defensive line trying to land a South Africa, Australia he suffered that kept him and Japan. sidelined for two tackle on the former Saracens centre. Alongside his praise and a half months. for Freeman, Burrell, In a game “The problem with concussion is it’s unseen,” right, also delved into against Saracens at his concussion experiences as a battle with of that generation where the height of his he said. “I was still part player, and how Brad Barritt for an just get up and try to car-if you’re concussed you the sport has evolved to ensure protection spot, “I remember after that England ry on playing. against the ‘unseen’ injury. s u f – acens, sitting on a bike Burrell concussion against Sar-On the podcast, Burrell the brain ache took six or seven fered and not getting a head- recalled one injury whilst weeks.
“These are unseen battles that people don’t appreciate unless they’ve gone through it themselves.”
The 36-year-old added that at the time he felt coaches didn’t always understand or believe the full extent of the injury, and there’s still progress to be made in today’s game.
“I’d be lying if I could say I 100 per cent felt that the coach believed what I was saying at the time I was injured.
“That was an unseen battle that I was having in my own head, thinking to myself ‘why is this happening and why can’t I get over this’, when all I want to do is get back out there and do what I do best.
“From the perspective of me now not playing rugby and thinking about the general welfare of these players, I do think how can they come back from concussion so quickly?”
Burrell also revealed his Premiership season predictions, backing one of his former clubs, Northampton, to win back-to-back titles. He also believes another of his former outfits, Newcastle, will finish bottom of the ladder for the second straight season.
