One club, academy to 118 appearances
He could have left. Plenty of clubs wanted him.
Tommy Freeman signed a new long-term contract with Northampton this morning. The 25-year-old wing has never worn anything but a Saints shirt, from academy prospect to 118 first-team appearances at Franklin’s Gardens.
Two Premiership titles have come in that spell, along with a central role in the run to the 2025 Champions Cup final. Thirty England caps. Three Tests for the British and Irish Lions on the 2025 tour. He sits in England’s wider Elite Player Squad with 24 other internationals.
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“A big part of my decision is the people”
He did not talk about money. He talked about the changing room.
“Saints is a special place. We’ve got an incredible group, a brilliant staff, and it’s the environment where I can keep improving,” he said. Then this: “A big part of my decision is the people here. The group is really tight, and that goes beyond the players. It includes partners, families, everyone around the club.”
One line reads like a message to the rest of the Premiership. “We’ve won two titles, reached a European final, and I don’t think we’re done yet.”
The ground counts for something as well. Freeman mentions the pitch, the full stands, the noise the crowd brings week after week.
Dowson gets his business done early
Phil Dowson is not playing it down. Locking this in this early in the recruitment cycle reshapes what Northampton can do next.
“Tommy is an exceptional player, unquestionably one of the best back-three players in the world,” the rugby director said, noting that Freeman has also covered centre at Test level. “He’s only 25 and has already built up a remarkable amount of experience.”
Freeman now sits alongside Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Fraser Dingwall on the list of England internationals the champions have tied down.
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