England centre Tommy Freeman ‘struggled without realising it’ after Lions tour

England centre Tommy Freeman has revealed that an intervention from his Northampton coaches helped him through a slump following the British and Irish Lions tour.

Freeman started all three Tests in the 2-1 series victory over Australia that concluded on August 2nd – alongside Maro Itoje and Tom Curry one of only three Englishman to do so – and still felt the effects when the new season began.

While physically he was recharged by the mandatory five-week rest period that followed the tour, Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson and head coach Sam Vesty spotted that his “mental state was not in the best spot”.

A reduction in training and matches enabled the 24-year-old to negotiate the early part of 2025-26 and he went on to take part in England’s autumn campaign until he was affected by a hamstring niggle.

“I struggled without realising it. I had the five weeks off, body felt good, but my mental state wasn’t in the best spot,” Freeman said.

“When you go on tours and go away for a long time, when you come back, it’s almost ‘right, you’re done’.

“I get ill sometimes because of the stress, and then all of a sudden it being off you and the relief. It was just a mixture of all that.

“Phil and Sam just pulled me to the side and asked if I was all right. I had probably been in denial and was saying ‘I’m fine, I’m fine’, but they pulled me from bits and bobs of training and then a few games, which was really good.

“England as well, picking that up and getting me back into the games in the right way.”

Referencing his post-Australia holiday that included trips to Universal Studios and Disney World in Florida, Freeman continued: “You go on a big Lions tour off the back of 34 games.

“It’s a lot of rugby, and then I could probably