Six Nations news: England’s Tommy Freeman braced for Murrayfield hostility

By Paul Eddison, Sportsbeat

Tommy Freeman has got used to the home comforts of Allianz Stadium but insists he is ready for the hostile atmosphere of Murrayfield as England look to extend their winning streak.

The Northampton Saints flyer capped off a 48-7 win over Wales in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations, scoring the seventh and final try of England’s 12th consecutive victory.

It extended his scoring streak in the competition to seven matches, dating back to the final round of the 2024 Championship, a two-point defeat to France.

That was one of two losses that year, the other coming against Scotland at Murrayfield, a ground where England last won in 2020, and Freeman is fully expecting the Scottish challenge to begin long before he gets out onto the pitch.

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Hostile

“It’s hostile,” said Freeman. “The fans are right into you from the start.

“You get off the bus and go into the hotel and people are already there waiting for you. You’ve got the lads wanting you to sign their shirts, with 20 shirts on!

“They want to get under your skin. It’s a very patriotic country, I think every country is, but Scotland, they have got a funny way of showing it and they really get behind the boys when you are out there.”

Should Freeman continue in the outside centre jersey, which he wore in the win over Wales, he will likely come up against a Lions colleague in Huw Jones.

The pair roomed together ahead of the opening fixture against Argentina in Dublin last summer, before starting all three Tests together Down Under.

Challenging

“It gives you a bit of a different perspective, knowing them as people,” said Freeman, speaking at an Allianz event, who have been a committed supporter of rugby for more than 13 years, championing the sport from grassroots participation to the international stage.

“It doesn’t change too much on the rugby side of things, but you know having played with them, what they are good at, so that is always helpful.

“Those centres are pretty special centres, Sione and Huw, and we know they have been playing together for a while, so we know they are pretty connected.

“It’s challenging, but that is what it’s all about, you want to go up against some of the best in the world and away at Murrayfield would be a good way to do it.”

Freeman has spent much of his career playing on the wing but is now focused on excelling one spot further in at outside centre.

He first did so during the 2025 Six Nations in the win over Wales and continued where he left off in the Championship opener.

Getting to grips

And while he admits that he is still getting to grips with some of the more intricate demands of the role, particularly in attack, Freeman is relishing the chance.

He said: “It’s definitely more of a structured role. You’re probably having to give that pass a little earlier than you would on the wing.

“There is a bit more thought and a lot of it is to do with footspeed and control. As a winger, you’re running off shoulders and in a flow, near top speed, running lines off people and being the one who catches the ball in space.

“As a centre, you’ve almost got to let them (the wingers) make a decision for you.

“I would always say that wing is harder (defensively). A lot of the shape can happen around the 13 channel, but as a winger, you’ve got to make a decision and if you get it wrong, it can result in a lot of space being eaten up.

“As a 13, if you make the wrong decision, hopefully your winger helps you out, or your midfielder.”

When he goes up against Jones on Saturday, the hope for Freeman will be that he does not make any of those wrong decisions.

He knows that if he does, the Murrayfield crowd will make sure he hears about it.

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