KEALAN FREEMAN-PRICE
Kealan Freeman-Price recently made a bold switch from back row to hooker but the Gloucester forward is revelling in his positional change.
The 17-year-old England U18s player, who is 6ft 2in and 16st, 7lbs, played in the centres up until U16s but has now made two positional changes in as many years as he continues to develop with club and country.
He told The Rugby Paper: “Going from centre to back row was a big change for me because it meant I had to get around the park a lot more. As a centre, I was more of a physical player any-way, so the move to the back row suited my playing style a lot more.
“Since recently moving to hooker throwing has been the hardest but with the help of Andy Titterell and the transitioning coach at Gloucester, Thomas Rhys-Thomas, I’ve been getting on with it real-ly well by getting as many reps as I can with my college, Hartpury ACE. It’s hard to keep the con-sistency but aside from that it’s gone well. I’ve enjoyed learning a new skill and playing from a different perspective.”
Freeman-Price has enjoyed his time with Gloucester and has aspirations in recent years to run out in front of a noisy Shed at Kingsholm.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have been given great opportunities by Gareth Delve, the former coach, and Matt Teague last year to get on the pitch in the Academy League,” said Freeman-Price.
“It’s amazing being able to train on the facilities at Kingsholm where I used to watch matches as a youngster. Now, I get the opportunity to train there every week which is phenomenal. Hopefully, I can get a senior academy contract and push on from there. I’d love to pull on the Cherry and White hoops because we academy boys don’t have that privilege just yet.
“You definitely want the Shed on your side, the atmosphere it creates is unbelievable. To be able to run out on that pitch knowing you’ve got them behind you and supporting you looks world class.”
As a dominant ball carrier, Freeman-Price had been invited into England U17 training camps this year and will play a part in Jonathan Pendlebury’s U18 squad in 2025.
He said: “The England training is a great opportunity for me. Every time I’ve been to a camp the standard gets better and better. The standards of the coaching and the facilities are unreal. The coaching is more focused on you as an individual, no one is left to one side.
“I speak to Jonathan now and again. I’m happy to know I’m in the U18 squad which has been re-leased, so that’ll be a good opportunity to kick on, learn from the boys and experience increased competition, as well as the honour of representing my country.”
Freeman-Price has set himself lofty career targets, outlining a Lions tour as the pinnacle of a rug-by player’s career and will be tuning in this summer hoping to follow in the class of 2025’s footsteps.
Despite an impressive Autumn Nations Series for Australia, the former John Kyrle
School student believes the Lions will still secure a 3-0 series win. He added: “It’s a big shout but I want to play for the Lions. You’re better off aiming big than small. It’s very rare in the UK that you see those four teams united with all the best players able to come together to share their abilities and learnings. It’ll be great to watch and I think the Lions will pull through with a whitewash.”
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