England wing Tommy Freeman has opened up about the mental struggles he faced after a gruelling season that saw him exceed the player welfare limit of 30 appearances. The 24-year-old played 34 games for Northampton, England, and the British & Irish Lions, leading to what he described as a 'built-up anxiety'. Freeman was given five weeks off after the Lions tour and missed the first two rounds of the 2025-26 season, but he admitted that his mental state suffered despite his body feeling ready.
Freeman credited his coaches at Northampton, Phil Dowson and Sam Vesty, for noticing something was wrong and adjusting his workload. 'I struggled without realising it,' Freeman said. 'My body felt like I was OK to go, but mentally it was a bit more of a struggle.' He added that he had 'locked himself in' during the Lions tour, which may have contributed to a buildup of anxiety.
Freeman returned to action in October and started England's autumn victories against Australia and Fiji before a hamstring injury sidelined him. He has since played in every match for which he has been available. He is expected to keep his place in the squad for Saturday's Six Nations clash against Ireland at Twickenham, as England seek to bounce back from their defeat by Scotland.
England head coach Steve Borthwick is waiting on the outcome of Henry Arundell's disciplinary hearing before finalising his team. Tom Curry is pushing for a start after impressing off the bench against Scotland, while Borthwick may also consider Marcus Smith or George Furbank for added creativity. 'We have to front up better physically,' Curry said, acknowledging the need for improvement after a slow start at Murrayfield.
