Freddie Steward primed for England fight after swapping exam for Scotland Test
Freddie Steward goes from a university exam to the ultimate Test when he pits his wits against Finn Russell at Twickenham.
The Leicester fullback was the one true success story for England in a dire year of results which culminated in Eddie Jones’ sacking.
Yet the changing of the guard means even he is not immune from having to prove himself all over again in tonight’s Calcutta Cup showdown.
Five days after sitting a three-hour economics paper in a quiet corner of the England camp, the 6’4 star is primed to come out fighting in the name of the Rose.
Steward said: “Fight is the word that has been used, a word that brings everyone together; it's a non-negotiable for us. It has to be there.
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“If you go out and you have lads who aren't willing to fight, particularly on a big stage like the Six Nations, you're going to be in trouble.
Steward: “Fullback is a position where you have to think a lot but you can also never lose that edge. It’s about finding that balance" (Getty Images)“Kev [Sinfield], with everything he has done and the way he talks about fight and the battle and working for each other, has brought a sense of unity and spirit this week that will help us go to the front-line."
Much depends on Steward diffusing the aerial bombs put up by Russell, the Scotland playmaker, whom he considers “probably a back-three’s greatest enemy with his full bag of tricks”.
Whilst admitting he will feel more nervous than he did for his exam, the 22-year-old will try to stay relaxed as the seconds tick down to kick-off.
Calcutta Cup rival bosses Steve Borthwick and Gregor Townsend (David Rogers/Getty Images)“Some lads like to be frothing at the mouth and ready to go through a brick wall,” he said. “Fullback is a position where you have to think a lot but you can also never lose that edge. It’s about finding that balance.”
Remarkably, given they did not win once at Twickenham between 1983 and 2021, Scotland have not lost in England's backyard since 2017.
One defeat in that sequence stands out more than the rest, however, for England forwards coach Richard Cockerill as he was in charge of Edinburgh in 2018 and bet his team the Scots would lose.
England head coach Steve Borthwick (Getty Images)When they didn’t the former firebrand hooker had to take training wearing a tartan ‘See You Jimmy’ hat.
“It was very painful,” said Cockerill, who spent a fortnight in December as caretaker boss prior to Borthwick’s appointment. “I still live in Edinburgh and see every day how competitive the Scots are against the English.
“So we know it means a lot to Scotland but it means a hell of a lot to us as an England team.
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England forwards coach Richard Cockerill lost a Calcutta Cup bet whilst with Edinburgh (PA)“The rivalry will be fierce both on and off the field and I assure you we will have enough passion to match the Scots’. Then it is down to who plays the best rugby.”
For England to win their set-piece, so poor in the autumn, needs to send the Scots home tae think again.
Whether messrs Borthwick, Sinfield and Cockerill have had long enough with the players to affect that change, we will find out tonight.
England: Steward; Malins, Marchant, Farrell (capt), Hassell-Collins; Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Chessum, Ludlam, B Curry, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Walker, M Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, Earl, Youngs, Lawrence, Watson.
Scotland: Hogg; Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Nel; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, M Fagerson.
Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Berghan, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.
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