Versatile Tommy Freeman in control for Northampton Saints

By Adam Hathaway

Northampton Saints ….. 47pts

Tries: Freeman 3, Furbank 7, Sleightholme 20, 26; James 23, Hendy 36, Ramm 60

Conversions: F Smith 8, 21, 24, 27, 36, 61

Tries: Cowan-Dickie 12, Carpenter 46 Conversions: R du Preez 13, 46 Penalty: R du Preez 1

Tommy Freeman gave England boss Steve Borthwick a selection solution as he took centre stage on Friday night and led Northampton to a seven-try win over Sale.

The 23-year-old was shifted into midfield, from the wing, by Saints with Fraser Dingwall on the injury list and showed 13 could be a lucky number as he scored one try and had a hand in two others.

Henry Slade, Borthwick’s go-to man this calendar year, after being left out of the World Cup has not played since England’s last Test, in Auckland, in July after shoulder surgery.

In-form Alex Lozowski has not been seen in national colours since the infamous ‘Black Hole’ game against Japan in 2018 and Harlequins’ Luke North-more has two caps.

Freeman, Lozowski, Northmore and Slade will be in Girona next week for England’s training camp, alongside Ollie Lawrence who generally lines up at 13 for Bath.

But at over 16 stone, and 6ft 1in, what is not to like about a bloke like Freeman who has got the gas of a winger, and the intelligence to marshal a blitz defence?

England’s 13?

Borthwick has experimented with Freeman at outside centre before, he had a period there in the Japan Test in Tokyo in June, but he went the distance in the Midlands on Friday night.

And with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso one wing certainty and Ollie Sleightholme on fire for Saints, putting Freeman at 13 for the game against New Zealand is a runner.

Freeman said: “I was happy to be in the midfield, I like playing wing but I am happy to be playing there.

“There have been a few games I have covered there and it is there if Steve needs it. If I can carry on playing well there it will up my chances.

“The wingers we have got here are doing pretty well and probably squeezing me out!”

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson added: “He got into space and showed what a capable player he is. Steve has got great decisions to make.”

Saints were seething after last Saturday’s 24-8 defeat to Leicester and they vented their fury to bite Sharks.

Tom Pearson got in amongst it but the star back row performer was Under-20 World Cup winner Henry Pollock in his first Premiership start.

Pollock has more than a bit about him and pulled off one try-saving intervention as well as carrying into the guts of Sale to put them on the back foot.

Ambushed

A torrid night for Sale started with Freeman winning the chase, and Tom Roebuck, to a loose ball to touch down after three minutes and it got steadily worse.

Northampton were 40-10 up by the break and had bagged the season’s quickest four-try bonus point in the 26th minute.

Sleightholme had got two of those four, showing his predatory skills to get on the end of James Ramm’s pass after Freeman’s feed and being on there to mop up when Roebuck missed a loose ball.

Ramm had a spectacular impact in two sessions off the bench which included running in from 60m when he returned in the second half.

Sale showed spirit in the second half when Joe Carpenter went over but the damage had been done way before that.